Snow falls at a Fire and Rescue NSW station. Photo: Fire and Rescue NSW.
As an icy blast has been blowing across the southeast, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has issued a timely reminder about the importance of snow safety for those heading into the mountains this year.
Importantly, those going to and from the snowfields should exercise patience and safety on the icy roads.
A FRNSW spokesperson said its crews of permanent firefighters, which were seconded to the Perisher Valley Fire Station for the next few months, and local on-call firefighters were undergoing additional alpine training this winter.
The crews have been familiarising themselves with the Hagglund tracked fire appliance, skidoos and six-wheel all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), used by the fire service in the NSW snowfields.
They are prepared for vehicle crashes, rescuing lost or injured skiers and possible fires in resort lodges.
FRNSW region south zone commander Mark Cavanough said the firefighters were faced with a very unusual and dynamic environment in the snowfields with both the topography and weather liable to change by the hour.
“We’ve had in excess of 25 centimetres of snow on one day alone recently and we witnessed the weather change very quickly,” he said.
“It’s really important that the crews familiarise themselves with not just the appliances and the vehicles they drive but also with the weather conditions and the topography.
“We equip our firefighters with alpine weather gear but many of these firefighters have never worked in these environments … those conditions can be extremely dangerous for any emergency service personnel.”
Firefighters will support the region from the Perisher Valley Fire Station. Photo: Fire and Rescue NSW.
FRNSW warns motorists to take extra care when negotiating their way to and from the resort villages.
“There can be a bit of a mass exodus out of Perisher or Thredbo at the end of a weekend and we can get accidents occurring, so it’s really important that our visitors are aware of those conditions, drive appropriately and show patience because we can get thousands of people converging on the snowfields on a good weekend,” Superintendent Cavanough said.
The snow season was officially launched earlier this month.
Snow forecaster Pete ‘The Frog’ Taylor said while the slopes were quieter than some might have liked (snow-wise), it wasn’t a reason for worry.
“It’s not out of the ordinary [to have lighter snowfalls for the opening weekend],” he said.
July will also bring the reopening of Charlotte Pass once repair works at the resort are finished, following a fire that broke out in the sewage treatment plant in May.
Earlier this year, a new $14 million police station was opened in Jindabyne to support the safety and security of Snowy Mountains locals as well as the region’s tourists.
“The Jindabyne station is an important base for search and rescue operations and will enable our officers to better respond not just to the snowfields, but better service the needs of the broader community, no matter the season,” the Monaro Police District Commander, Superintendent John Klepczarek, said.
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