Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have teamed up with Luna Park Sydney operators to conduct a safety exercise to familiarize themselves with the amusement park’s latest roller coaster. ‘The Boomerang’ was opened in October last year as one of nine new rides at Luna Park.
The steel shuttle roller coaster rises 12-meters high, spans 181-meters and has a top speed of 50km/h. FRNSW firefighters recently conducted the familiarity exercise at the harborside amusement park.
Luna Park officials arranged a simulated rescue operation featuring a roller coaster car, firmly stabilized by heavy duty ratchet straps, ‘stalled’ at the crest of the ride.
Viable access points for a ladder platform
On arrival at the park, the fire crew used the opportunity to identify viable access points for a ladder platform.
The firefighters, wearing full body harnesses and ‘full arrest’ lanyards, connected to a fixed safety line, then climbed an adjacent stairway to reach park guests ‘stranded’ in the car for the purpose of the exercise.
One by one, the ‘riders,’ secured with two points of connection to a safety line, were escorted by firefighters down the stairs to the ground. FRNSW Zone Commander Superintendent Kel McNamara said it was a valuable exercise for the Crows Nest “B” Platoon crew.
Stringent safety procedures
“This forward thinking by Luna Park Management means that if an emergency involving the ‘Boomerang’ ride did occur, our crews would be able to react and reach the affected site quickly and efficiently,” Supt McNamara said.
He adds, “The park has its own stringent safety procedures and mechanisms in place but if an incident such as a medical emergency or mobility issue occurred, staff could alert FRNSW with the confidence that our crews know their way around the facility.”