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Rescue & Bomb Disposal Unit

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NSW Police Rescue & Bomb
Disposal Unit

For 60 years now, the NSW Police Rescue Unit has been serving the community, tackling difficult and often dangerous rescue situations and helping people caught in often traumatic circumstances. In that time, the Unit’s name has changed four times and the range of jobs has broadened to all manner of rescues and incidents. It is estimated that police rescue has attended around 300,000 jobs in the past 60 years.

Police in the Rescue Unit volunteer to carry out emergency tasks which are beyond the resources and capabilities of other police. They are highly trained in the use of specialist emergency equipment for the most challenging rescue tasks.

Our Rescue Unit has an international reputation for the calibre and experience of its personnel and the high quality and effectiveness of it’s equipment.

Formed in 1942, the Rescue Unit was originally established as the “Cliff Rescue Squad” to retrieve injured people from cliff bases along the NSW coastline. The war years had seen an increase in the number of people threatening and committing suicide from cliff tops and the extra demand on police resources led to the creation of the new specialised Squad.

Over the years, the role of the Cliff Rescue Squad changed dramatically, with officers attending all types of rescue situations and assisting police with a wide range of operations. The word “Cliff” was dropped from the title in 1960, and the Rescue Unit now offers the community of NSW a fully responsive rescue facility.

Based in the Zetland Police Complex at 81 Portman Street, the Rescue Unit HQ is responsible generally for the inner Sydney area and the eastern suburbs. Units are also located in the Wollongong, Newcastle, Blue Mountains, Goulburn, Cooma, Lismore and Bathurst Districts.

There are now 31 Police Rescue operators, trained to use equipment such as metal detectors, trapped person locaters, an emergency power truck, mobile field kitchen and mobile field command bus with sophisticated communication equipment. These officers are expert in abseiling, climbing, single rope techniques and stretcher escorts with cliff machines.
 
Some of the Rescue Unit’s responsibilities and challenges include:

  • Rescuing people trapped in difficult high or deep places such as mines, storm-water drains, cliffs, scaffolding and remote places.
  • Rescuing people involved in industrial, traffic, railway and aircraft accidents or who may have become trapped in household equipment, machinery or playground equipment.
  • Providing power or lighting in emergencies or for police operations
  • Rescuing livestock and animals in accidents
  • Working in toxic or hazardous environments

 
In addition to all of the above, the Rescue Unit also provides support to general police operations and general advice on proposed safety and rescue plans to private industry.

2 thoughts on “Rescue & Bomb Disposal Unit

  • Vince Woods

    Dear Sir/Madam
    My name is Vince Woods, I am a maintenance manager at Bluescope Steel Springhill Plant (Part of the Port Kembla Steelworks) and I manage a team of crane maintenance workers. As part of our review of crane rescue plans I was hoping to see if we could get someone from Police Rescue on site at a suitable time to have a look at a few cranes & both offer some advice wrt rescue if a tradesperson was to have a medical episode or fall, and also give the Police Rescue team some first hand view of our plant in case they are called to assist in the future. If I have made contact incorrectly or if there is a more suitable contact, or if my request is no longer done, could you please advise accordingly. Regards, Vince Woods
    PFD Maintenance Manager
    Springhill Works
    Springhill Rd Port Kembla
    Bluescope Steel
    mobile 0417461878

    Reply
    • Hi Vince,
      This website is not directly affiliated with NSW Police but I have forwarded your request to the OIC of Illawarra Police Rescue Unit who will contact you Thursday or Friday afternoon.

      regards

      Cal

      Reply

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