Dunolly silo rescue exposes gaps in regional firefighting equipment
A man was rescued from a grain silo in Dunolly. Firefighters say specialist equipment and training remain inadequate.
A 65-year-old man was rescued from a grain silo at Dunolly in Central Victoria after a 2.5-hour emergency operation. Fire Rescue Victoria crews and the Country Fire Authority's mine rescue team worked to free him from the partly filled silo.
The rescue worked, but it showed ongoing complaints from firefighters about equipment shortages. The United Firefighters Union says grain engulfment rescue training and specialist equipment are not enough across regional Victoria.
Specialist grain shielding equipment was bought in 2016 to help with these rescues. But some equipment stays in storage unused.
Firefighters have asked for proper training for six years without getting it, the union says. Fire Rescue Victoria said it recently bought new specialist grain rescue equipment and is updating training programs.
- 65 years old
- Trapped person age
- 2.5 hours
- Rescue duration
- Dunolly, Central Victoria
- Silo location
- About 10 percent full
- Grain level in silo
Why it mattersNot enough emergency rescue equipment and training can slow down rescues. This puts trapped people and rescue workers at risk.
AustraliaVictoria's regional fire and rescue services are addressing equipment gaps to improve silo rescue capability across the state.
