Search And Rescue Exercise, Etna Creek

On Saturday, 28 March 2026 volunteers from the State Emergency Service (SES) and officers from the Queensland Police Service (QPS), conducted a search and rescue (SAR) simulation exercise at the Belmont Research Station, Etna Creek.

The training exercise involved 27 SES Volunteers and 10 police officers.

It simulated a SAR operation for a hypothetical child, who had wandered off and gone missing from a property, and also included a subsequent search for a civilian member of the search party, who went missing in the SAR process.

The exercise provided an opportunity to explore the interoperability between the SES and QPS while enhancing participants' skills in using a newly introduced search and rescue technology.

This new software allows emergency services to track resources involved in the search in real-time , including personnel, vehicles, aircraft and drones, to create an overall operational picture.

It also offers advanced features such as tools for planning search areas and efficient resource management, and situational awareness during SAR missions.

The new technology is currently being rolled out by the Central Queensland SES and is widely used by first responders globally.

This exercise demonstrated the potential of the technology to streamline search efforts and strengthen collaboration between emergency response teams in Queensland.

As the SES celebrates its 50^th anniversary, it is continuing to evolve in its use of technology, ensuring volunteers are well-resourced for, and prepared to respond to calls for help, with greater efficiency, precision, and adaptability.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has released vision of the training exercise, including interviews with:

• Inspector Ray Brownhill, Queensland Police Service
• Fran Richardson, Operation Capability Officer, State Emergency Service