In order to maintain operational skills in the area of Technical Rescue and Counter Terrorism response, QFRS recently conducted an exercise at the Swanbank Power Station. The scenario involved an explosion in the main boiler room, which left two staff members hanging in harnesses five stories up, and 10 others injured. Then a call was received from a terrorist organisation claiming that the first explosion was only the beginning and a second device was located.
Thirty firefighters from the following QFRS Terrorism Exercise Counter stations participated in the exercise: Ipswich, Bundamba, Karana Downs, Camira, Mt Ommaney, West Logan and the Special Ops team from Cannon Hill. Inter-agency participation included 100 CS Energy, 10 QPS bomb squad and 10 QAS trauma team personnel.
As you can see by the photos below, very precarious work. Hopefully gives you some idea of the kind of situations these folks take in their stride. The shots also do not convey the huge heat stress load being placed on the emergency services workers who are actually operating directly between two giant boilers inside the power station. It was like being in a sauna only with full protective clothing. The exercise was called off a little early due to this hence the photos of the rescue end rather abruptly.
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