Flood rescue specialists from across Australia and New Zealand have travelled to Sydney to put their skills to the test, during a NSW State Emergency Service (SES) led multi-agency training exercise focused on night-time operations.
The 2026 Multi-Agency Flood Rescue Symposium, held from 6-8 November at Penrith Whitewater Stadium, brought together emergency service personnel from different states and countries to strengthen flood rescue capability, share expertise and learn from NSW SES, the lead agency for flood rescue in NSW.
For the first time, the biennial event placed a focus on night operations, with teams undertaking challenging coordination, in-water and on-water scenarios in darkness to prepare for flood emergencies.
NSW SES data shows that of 1,339 flood rescues recorded across the state between 1 November 2024 and 1 November 2026, 528 (39 per cent) occurred between 6pm and 6am.
The busiest single hour for flood rescues statewide during the two-year period was between 8pm and 9pm, when 88 rescues were recorded.
The proportion was even higher across metropolitan Sydney, where 101 of 161 flood rescues (63 per cent) were responded to in darkness, highlighting the dangers of flash flooding in urban areas.
Across the weekend, more than 100 participants completed practical flood rescue scenarios designed to test their ability to operate in reduced visibility, identify hazards and coordinate complex rescues at night.
As NSW’s lead flood rescue agency, NSW SES continues to strengthen its specialist capability, training more than 620 boat, land-based and in-water flood rescue operators over the past 12 months.
The symposium brought together representatives from NSW Police Force, NSW Ambulance, Fire Rescue NSW, VRA Rescue NSW, Surf Life Saving NSW, Marine Rescue NSW, Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Maritime, alongside interstate participants from Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, and international representatives from New Zealand.
The event provided an opportunity for emergency service personnel to learn from each other and take new skills, techniques and operational lessons back to their respective agencies and communities.
The three-day event concluded on Sunday with a conference program focused on sharing operational experience, strengthening interagency cooperation and advancing flood rescue practices.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib:
“It’s fantastic to see emergency service personnel from across Australia and overseas coming here to learn from our SES and share their own expertise to further boost flood rescue capabilities.
“Flood emergencies don’t stop when the sun goes down and these figures show just how often our responders are called on to carry out rescues in the dark. In recent years we have seen the capabilities of the SES and their partner agencies during floods and storms as they use their skills to save lives in difficult conditions.”
“By bringing agencies together to train in these challenging conditions, we are strengthening the skills, relationships and coordination needed to protect communities when the next major flood strikes.”
Quotes attributable to NSW SES Commissioner, Mike Wassing AFSM:
“As the lead agency for flood rescue in NSW, we are committed to strengthening our capability and sharing our expertise with other emergency services.
“Almost 40 per cent of flood rescues in NSW over the past two years occurred at night, which is why this year’s symposium focuses on the unique challenges of operating in darkness.
“Having emergency service personnel travel from across Australia and overseas to train alongside us highlights NSW SES’s expertise and provides an opportunity to share knowledge and strengthen flood rescue capability.
Quotes attributable to NSW SES Mullumbimby Unit member, Justin Wall:
“I have a history of receiving a double lung transplant. That was 10 years ago. I was given two weeks to live.
“After joining the SES, I thought I’d just be able to provide some admin support, but my unit in Mullumbimby was extremely supportive, just as the wider SES was, with my hidden disability.”
“Over time I thought, ‘Oh well, I’ll just give the chainsaw course a go,’ and then all of a sudden it was the boat course, and before I knew it, I was an in-water operator completing flood rescues.”
Flood Rescues per Zone in the last two years (1 November 2024 – 1 November 2026) | |
Metro Zone | 156 |
South Eastern Zone | 33 |
Southern Zone | 23 |
Western Zone | 35 |
North-Western Zone | 50 |
Northern Zone | 880 |
North Eastern Zone | |
