A Central Coast team has taken top honours at Australia’s largest search and rescue training exercise.
More than 600 entrants competed in NavShield in the Ghin-Doo-Ee National Park in north-east Sydney on July 20-21.
The annual event, hosted by the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), tests the skills, teamwork and stamina of emergency services personnel, orienteers and rogainers from around the country.
Teams navigated rugged terrain in demanding conditions for over 24 hours from checkpoint to checkpoint, using only maps and compasses.
This year’s 27-hour, two-day event was won by a two-man team of adventure racing enthusiasts from Adventure Junkie, a Central Coast group for those looking for something challenging, intense and rewarding than pounding the treadmill at the gym.
Etienne Gautier and Sergey Pikuz won out over teams from various emergency services, St John Ambulance, bushwalking clubs, rogainers and orienteers.
Gautier said the course was challenging, even for experienced rogainers.
“On the Friday night they give you a topographic map, a list of checkpoints, co-ordinates and descriptions and then you mark the checkpoints on the map yourself,” he said.
“Then you set off on Saturday morning, doing your best possible route to return by midday Sunday.
“We have both done events like this before but the vegetation on this course was particularly hard in some places.
“We came out pretty knackered with a lot of scratches and blistered feet but we were happy with the win.”
The nine-hour, one-day event was won by the Fletcher Group Ride team.
Gautier said teams from emergency services had heavier gear to tote on the course.
NSW SES Acting Commissioner Debbie Platz said the event, now in its 35th year, was essential for improving necessary skills and operational readiness of emergency service personnel.
“Our SES members at NavShield can be called upon to search for a lost person in the bush,” she said.
“Enhancing their capability and confidence, and especially that of our NSW bush search and rescue operators through training exercises like this is critical for the ongoing support and safety of our communities.
“It provides our bush search and rescue operators with the opportunity to develop their proficiencies and improve their knowledge by learning directly from others.
“Over the last 12 months, NSW SES volunteers have assisted the NSW Police and the broader community in more than 260 searches for missing people.
“Land searches are particularly challenging – we need to ensure we effectively cover a search area by meticulously scouring the ground to locate signs of an individual.
“They can take place over many days, in rough and rugged terrain, and all sorts of weather conditions, so our teams need to be prepared for anything.”
The 63sq/km course was navigated by entrants from the NSW SES, NSW Ambulance, NSW Health, NSW Police, NSW Rural Fire Service, Bush Search and Rescue Victoria, St John Ambulance, bushwalking clubs, rogainers and orienteers.
NSW SES Bush Search and Rescue Unit Commander, Inspector Paul Campbell-Allen, said participating in the challenge ensured the community would be even better supported in the future.
“Our bush search and rescue operators and emergency services partners are put through this demanding exercise to enhance their teamwork, skills and confidence, so it’s a fantastic development exercise for us all,” he said.
“NSW SES Bush search and rescue unit is the oldest continuous land search and rescue unit in Australia, and we are committed to improving our skills and techniques so that we can continue to protect the community for many more years to come.”