AMAZING RESCUE OF DOG DOWN MINE SHAFT IN WOODEND

At 9.56pm last evening Woodend CFA was called to a dog fallen down a mine shaft in the Wombat Forest. Woodend volunteers had the foresight to quickly ask for the OSCAR mine rescue crew from Bendigo, which would prove to be a brilliant call. It took some time before Woodend crews could reach the actual scene as it was quite remote and also in total darkness. Woodend secured the location and set up systems to guide the OSCAR crews to the scene as quickly as possible.Woodend Incident Controller Tim Duff said the OSCAR crew was brilliant to work with, ably assisted by the Woodend volunteers. Once on scene they discovered that the dog had fallen nearly 20 metres down the shaft. They then began the task of setting up the intricate rescue system for a CFA member to be lowered down to the dog. After about 90 minutes the dog emerged safe and sound, albeit a little shaken and very pleased to return to the owners.Woodend CFA would like to pass on our thanks to the professionalism of the OSCAR crew and wish them well in their efforts to remain an important part of the CFA. Woodend crews returned to station around 1.30am the next morning after a 4 hour effort in very difficult conditions in a remote location in the middle of the night.