Holden Crushes Cars in the Name of Safety

SYDNEY – Apr 26, 2012: Holden has donated 70 cars to the Australasian Road Rescue Organisation (ARRO) to help hone the emergency response skills of hundreds of road rescue workers from around the world taking part in the annual training event.

The vehicles, previously used by Holden for engineering evaluation and not for public sale, include a range of Holden vehicles and body styles such as Commodore, Caprice Cruze and Captiva.

Each vehicle will be used by ARRO to provide crash scenarios for participants in the 2012 Australasian Rescue Challenge in Hobart, from 26 to 29 April 2012.

Teams will take part in simulated emergency situations all designed to improve their emergency response skills including rescue and medical treatment for injured motor vehicle occupants.

Director of Government Relations and Internal Communications, Matt Hobbs said Holden was very proud of its long-term association with ARRO.

“As we all know, refreshing the skills of the road rescue teams with the latest technology is critical. That’s why over the last 12 years Holden has donated nearly 1000 vehicles, giving the emergency services access to the most recent models out on the road,” Mr Hobbs said.

“We believe that safety on our roads comes down to four factors; safe driving, safe cars, safe roads and the everyday heroes who have been trained to save lives.

“It is the outstanding work of these men and women that goes a long way towards reducing the road toll and it’s great for Holden to play a role in their training.”

Holden Specialist Engineer, Derek Scott, will also be on hand to give expert advice on the latest vehicle safety systems. He will observe teams participating in crash scenarios to provide valuable feedback to the Holden Safety Engineering group.

Executive Officer of ARRO, Paul Jerome said Holden’s involvement was a vital component to the success of the training event.

“Holden’s support of this program gives our road rescue teams the valuable opportunity to get real hands on experience using new vehicles with the latest automotive technology. There is no other manufacturer in the world that provides this level of support, with both vehicles and technical expertise,” said Mr Jerome.

“The end result means the teams are better equipped with outstanding skills and techniques, which can make the difference at a real life accident scene.

ARRO:
ARRO is the peak body in Australasia for the development and exchange of information, knowledge and skills in road rescue. Its membership includes individuals and organisations in the emergency services such as fire services, state emergency services and ambulance services.

Holden:
The history of Holden dates back to 1856 when it started as a saddlery business in South Australia. Today, Holden is one of only seven fully-integrated global General Motors operations that designs, builds and sells vehicles for Australia and the world.