Whitsundays Rescue

[Scattercat]

Well done to the Emergency Management Queensland crew from Townsville and the CQRESQ guys from Mackay.:ok:

Link:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/12/2160269.htm

[John Eacott]

Just in time for tonight's first episode on ABC1 :ok:

Chopper Rescue (http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/200802/programs/ZY8969A001D12022008T200000.htm)

Chopper Rescue
8:00pm Tuesday, 12 Feb 2008
Documentary CC PG

Chopper Rescue is a unique observational documentary series following the work of the helicopter rescue crews of Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ), who serve the people of far north Queensland. The Chopper Rescue crews are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and operate out of two bases in the far north cities of Townsville and Cairns. Consisting of pilot, air crew officer, rescue crew officer, paramedic and emergency doctor, the crews cover vast distances from the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef to the remote outback.
A true observational series, Chopper Rescue does not sensationalise or 'beat up' the extraordinary action which unfolds in front of the camera. As a result the series is a unique and powerful look at human drama and compassion at its most natural and intense.
In the first episode the Townsville crew is called out to rescue a shark fisherman shaking violently in pain after being stung by a tiny Irukandji jellyfish. The pain from the animal's venom is so intense that the young fisherman's blood pressure and heart rate are at dangerous levels. The venom has caused a number of fatalities in far north Queensland. The Townsville crew hover above a fishing boat at sea, land a doctor and rescue crewman, and then winch the fisherman into the chopper for life-saving care.
Meanwhile the Cairns crew has to fly to a small country hospital where a young chef is suffering from life-threatening pancreatitis. His blood pressure is so low it's unreadable and without a functioning pancreas he will die. The medical team and the helicopter crew work hard to increase his blood pressure before leaving, as they won't be able to manage resuscitation in the chopper.

Video preview (http://www.abc.net.au/tv/video/preview.htm#?vid=PRM0059822choppernew)

[LHSboy]

Job well done guys in what looked like very difficult conditions, news coverage showing some great footage. Looks as though a few boat owners will be up for some expensive bills following the wild weather. :ok:

[Trojan1981]

:ok:Exellent show. Well done to the EMQ crew.
Its good to see a series of this quality on TV and get a glimpse into the daily work of SAR/EMS crews. The narrator on the show sounds like the same bloke from 'Real Top Guns'. I find it hard to take him seriously after that :yuk:.

[crewguard]

Well done all for a great recovery of some very stricken backpackers!! half your luck!!

Note for the EMQ Documentary: Dont burn the sausages!!:}

[moosp]

From a long time admirer of SAR and EMS crews, very well done on this one. As a professional bunch we all hope that when called, we can do the extra that is required for this type of ops, and in this case the crews had it in spades.

[[email protected]]

I was looking with interest in the newspaper of the winch-cam picture of this rescue with two survivors on the winch at the same time, doing a hyperthermic lift, with the tag line obviously being guided by the rescue crewman on the deck of the boat.

Q: To CQ rescue aircrew: How did you find the outcome to this type of procedure? What are the benefits, pitfalls?

Q: To EMQ Townsville aircrew: Did you use a similar technique?

It would be interesting to ask all the professional aircrew out there on pprune, what winch techniques work best in differant situations as there seems to be quite a variety if techniques.


Nigel - sending 2 survivors up together is certainly quicker when there are a lot of them and it enables the hi-line to be controlled properly by the winchman at the bottom.

The only real problem is for the winch operator getting 2 people on board at the same time - we select the winch control to pilot and the winch op calls 'winch out' as he pulls the survivors aboard.

You can also get the pilot to start winching out whilst the winchop secures the surviviors in the cabin so that the hook and strops are already on their way back down to the winchman.

We use a double strop lift for hypothermic casualties with one strop under the arms and the other under the knees - we also do this for those who have been in the water for a while to prevent the loss of 'hydrostatic squeeze' causing their blood pressure to drop quickly.

[PO dust devil]

Nigel, perhaps you should ask around your own office....I'd bet two slabs there are people there who have thought about this......done it.....in real life.....and are experts equal to any on this forum.

Are you really even working there? yeesh.

[clearances]

Funny how posts go missing once the obvious is exposed through second rate cover :=. I'm sure many on here would be happy to answer questions and share knowledge to assist but lay your cards on the table. This is not a place if you have an agenda to push. Honesty is the best policy!!