Residents of Kiama breathed a sigh of relief last weekend when they realised the large number of emergency services vehicles near the railway line were there for a training exercise rather than the real thing.

With the train line out of action for maintenance further north, it was the perfect time to stage a rescue scenario on the tracks at Kiama Heights. The rescue of more than 30 people injured on a derailed train inside a tunnel required a multi-agency response, involving teams from NSW SES, Illawarra Police Rescue Squad – NSW Police Force, NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Ambulance.

Last year, the Kiama SES team returned from the 2015 National Disaster Rescue Competition as national champions.