‘We need cars people have sitting around that they don’t want’: Rescue squad president

If it happens in the Shepparton area, you can guarantee that the volunteers from Shepparton Search and Rescue will often be among the emergency services on the scene.

On average, the squad attends 60 to 70 crashes every year.

They are the ones who step forward with their equipment to cut the door of the car open. Or to push the dashboard back off your trapped legs.

Their role is to help.

And now they need your help.

The Shepparton squad is looking for donations of old cars to practice and hone their road rescue skills on.

Shepparton Search and Rescue president Nacole Standfield said the squad did not care what condition the cars were in as they would be cut during the training.

“We need cars people have sitting around that they don’t want,” she said.

Ms Standfield said the squad had a new battery Lukas road crash tool that they wanted to get their members used to.

The new tool is completely portable and has no attached hoses, making it more convenient.

This year, the squad will also have its mandatory three-year capability assessment to ensure the squad members can capably and safely do their job at rescues.

Ms Standfield said the donated cars would mean the squad members could practice their skills before the assessment.

She said the cars were used to practice where to put spreaders — also more commonly known as the jaws of life — on a vehicle and where to cut.

Volunteers also learn and practice where to ‘ram’, which helps push vehicles back into a similar original condition before the crash, therefore helping with things like freeing legs trapped under crushed dashboards.

“We’d really appreciate the assistance from the community for us to maintain our skills,” Ms Standfield said.

She said the squad would take “as many cars as we can get” to train on.

Anyone who has a vehicle to donate can message the squad through the Shepparton Search and Rescue Squad Facebook page or email admin@sheppartonrescue.com.au