News

Emergency services tackle mock collision in Wunghnu

By Brynne Timewell

Oct 7, 2026

CFA volunteers quickly thinking while on the scene of a three-vehicle mock collision. Photo by Moira Shire Council

Multiple CFA agencies and more than 100 participants across District 22 attended a multi-hazard mock mass casualty crash at Wunghnu on Sunday, October 4.

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The three-vehicle collision provided emergency service personnel with hands-on experience as a disaster unfolded in real time on their doorstep.

Deputy group officer and volunteer Vern Fettke emphasised the importance of these training scenarios, as the frequency of these accidents has doubled over the past eight years.

“It’s actually getting worse, there’s probably one or two a week,” Mr Fettke said.

“The purpose was to educate our volunteers how to best deal with these sorts of circumstances.”

SES, CFA, Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police and Moira Shire Council were involved.

Actors from the Nathalia Theatre Group attended the scene to simulate ‘casualties’ in the scenario, in which a truck and two cars collided, spilling hazardous materials over the road.

To add to the chaos, a ‘non-verbal autistic boy’ ran from the scene.

Participants had to act in real time to come up with a solution, with each brigade deployed based on proximity and the timing of a real event.

“We’re usually the first responders on the scene, so our people have to do a lot of problem solving early on to get the most appropriate agency there as quick as possible,” Mr Fettke said.

CFA volunteers complete regular in-house training each week at their local brigade, but this was a once-off annual training session focusing on an important issue.

The mock exercise also allowed for inter-agency relationship-building between the District 22 branches.