Vehicle extrication drills with a donated wreck

A donated junk car can turn a quiet training night into a realistic vehicle rescue exercise. Rural and volunteer brigades can practise stabilisation, glass management, door removal and patient care without relying on a live road incident.

The best drill is controlled, documented and matched to the equipment your crew actually carries. A wreck from a local recycler, panel beater or insurer can provide useful hands-on training, provided the vehicle is made safe before anyone starts cutting.

For Australian departments, the setting matters. A paddock outside Bendigo, a gravel turnout near Dubbo or a community oval in regional Queensland presents different access, weather and traffic concerns. Plan the exercise with the same discipline used at a real crash scene.

Source and prepare the vehicle

Start by obtaining written permission from the owner, recycler or salvage yard. Confirm that the vehicle is genuinely available for training and ask for details about its history. A written-off car may still contain fuel, refrigerant, pyrotechnic devices, gas struts, a hybrid battery or undeployed airbags.

Choose a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle for an initial drill, rather than a hybrid or electric model. Remove fuel, oil, coolant, battery acid and other fluids through an authorised recycler. Check the boot, glovebox and underbody for cylinders, chemicals and loose objects. Confirm the registration status and arrange lawful transport to the training site.

Select a safe training site

Use private land or a facility where the brigade has permission to operate. Keep the vehicle away from waterways, stormwater drains and areas where spilled fluids could soak into soil. A firm, level surface is preferable, especially when crews will use hydraulic rescue tools or move heavy components.

Establish an exclusion zone with cones, barrier tape and a clear entry point. Keep spectators, visitors and children outside the work area. If the site is close to a rural highway, coordinate with the road authority or police rather than allowing traffic to pass close to the exercise. A standby appliance with charged lines and an extinguisher should remain ready.

Complete a vehicle hazard check

Before the briefing, identify the battery location, fuel tank, high-strength steel, seat-belt pretensioners, airbags and possible gas struts. Mark hazards with paint or tape. A battery isolation procedure must be agreed before cutting, but crews should still treat airbags and electrical systems as active unless a competent person confirms otherwise.

Hybrid and electric vehicles require specialist information and isolation procedures. Do not cut orange cables or work around a damaged traction battery during a general junk-car drill. Crews should also wear structural gloves, eye and hearing protection, helmets, respiratory protection where required, and high-visibility clothing suited to Australian work health and safety rules.

Build a realistic rescue scenario

Give the exercise a simple brief: a single occupant is trapped after a side-impact crash, the vehicle is resting on its wheels, and access is restricted. Assign an incident controller, safety officer, tool operators, a medic or patient-care team, and a crew responsible for stabilisation. Rotate roles so newer volunteers gain experience.

Use a mannequin or training casualty and set measurable objectives. The crew might have to establish a safe operating zone, isolate hazards, create access, protect the patient from glass and complete a controlled roof or door removal. Treat the exercise as a rescue, not a demolition job; every cut should have a purpose.

Practise stabilisation and extrication

Begin with chocking, cribbing and a stability check. Demonstrate safe use of reciprocating saws, rams, spreaders and cutters, keeping hands clear of pinch points and assigning one person to communicate tool movements. Glass should be managed deliberately, with a cover or controlled removal method rather than smashed beside the casualty.

Include patient protection throughout the evolution. Place a shield between the tools and mannequin, communicate before each cut, and monitor for movement as the structure changes. Practise a handover to ambulance crews using local terminology and procedures. A regional brigade may work with NSW Ambulance, Queensland Ambulance Service, Ambulance Victoria or another state service, so agree on roles before the drill.

Manage spills, debris and the debrief

Keep absorbent material, drain covers, overpack containers and a spill kit near the vehicle. Any unexpected leak stops the exercise until it is controlled and reported. Rural crews can review this spill response guidance when preparing procedures for fuel, coolant or unknown substances.

After the final cut, account for every person, isolate tools and collect glass, metal and contaminated absorbent. Photograph the vehicle and record what was learned. Discuss time taken, communication, stabilisation, equipment limitations and near misses. Recycle the remaining wreck through an authorised facility rather than leaving it on site.

Keep the attendance sheet, risk assessment, supplier permission and evaluation with the brigade’s training records. A short report can support future grant applications, recruit induction and joint exercises with neighbouring CFA, RFS, FRNSW or local emergency service teams.

Contact a nearby vehicle recycler, council facility or supporting emergency service and schedule a supervised extrication exercise. A well-prepared donated wreck can build practical confidence, strengthen crew coordination and leave volunteers better equipped for the next real callout.