VICTORIA State Emergency Service (VICSES) Falls Creek Unit volunteers performed three different snow rescues, all in one day last Thursday.

All incidents involved members of school groups who had been camping close by to the Falls Creek alpine resort, in Falls Creek.

VICSES Falls Creek unit controller, Craig Moegel, said volunteers were called to assist police in search and rescue, and patient extraction.

"At 11.01am our VICSES volunteers were called to their first job, to assist police with a teen who had injured themselves in the snow," he said.
"The crew was made up of the VICSES volunteers and two Victoria Police members."

"Our volunteers attended in snowmobiles and provided first aid at the scene, before taking the teen to a medical centre close by in Falls Creek.

"A second incident occurred at around 4pm, with another teen who had fallen, sustaining injuries which rendered the patient unable to ride on the snowmobile.

"Though a non-ambulatory case, the teen was spinally immobilised with a backboard, and secured in the trailer for transport to Falls Creek Medical Centre.

"The third incident for the day, flagged by Victoria Police shortly before 10pm, related to another teen who had been camping overnight as part of a school group, and had dislocated their knee.

"Though the group had coordinates of their location, the location at Watchbed Creek lay approximately 10 kilometres from the unit, along Paul’s Track - a cross-country trail.

"The location necessitated a lengthy trip by snowmobile."

Mr Moegel said persons who are intending a trip out into the high plains should ensure they have the proper safety equipment, warm clothing navigation skills, at a minimum one form of communication - like a working mobile phone - and a back-up battery.

VICSES Falls Creek unit volunteer, Anthony Johnson, who works for the lift company as part of the slope maintenance team, said it was important people know the coordinates of where they are.

"This makes it easier for us to find you quickly,” he said.