The SES has accredited Road Crash Rescue units which are located in rural areas spread across the state including Lord Howe Island. Every year SES volunteers respond to many hundreds of serious motor vehicle accidents.
Road Crash Rescue accredited units undergo extensive training to meet the demanding skills required to undertake such rescues. Road Crash Rescue accredited units have specially equipped vehicles that provide them with the equipment needed to remove people trapped in vehicles.
Volunteers accredited to perform Road Crash Rescue receive first aid training and play an important role in stabilising the medical condition of injured people until specialised medical help arrives. These volunteers use a variety of equipment to remove people from cars, the best known being specialised hydraulic cutting equipment commonly known as the 'jaws of life'.
Because preventing accidents is always better than attending them, many SES units staff 'driver reviver' sites across the state during holiday periods. Driver fatigue is a known killer on the roads and these sites provide drivers with the chance to rest and have something to eat and drink before resuming their journey.
For more information on road safety, visit the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) road safety information page.
