John Eacott
2nd Oct 2013, 11:10
Along with the news of Nick's GAPAN award is the recognition of Emergency Management Queensland Helicopter Rescue in our Australian Regional Awards:
In recognition of 34 years of outstanding professional performance and dedication, Emergency Management Queensland Helicopter Rescue is awarded Grand Master’s Australian Medal. In 1981 the Queensland Government established a Helicopter Unit within the State Emergency Service. Renamed in 2004 the EMQ Helicopter Rescue (EMQ HR) it currently operates a fleet of three Agusta Westland AW139s and two Bell 412s, the Service logs around 3000 hours each year providing Queensland (a land area seven times that of the British Isles) with a 24 hour-a-day, seven day a week response to meet emergency, community and Government aviation needs
Throughout its history EMQ HR has made an outstanding contribution to the development and improvement of helicopter rescue services in Australia. In 2008, it was the first emergency helicopter operator approved by the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to use Night Vision Goggles (NVG) in SAR operations. A number of recent rescues have been completed through the detection of mobile phone lighting from large distances.
During the devastating floods of 2010 and 2011, EMQ HR conducted a series of daring and extremely challenging rescues in the Lockyer Valley in atrocious weather conditions. Maps were useless in the conditions, described as an inland tsunami, and the few patches of ground that weren’t inundated by the waters were frequently festering with snakes and other animals desperate to escape the flood.
The February 2013, Bundaberg Floods became the focus of another significant rescue operation when 50 individuals were rescued on a single day. Significantly, the Rescue Crew Officer (RCO) on the day had only recently received his qualifications and performed both his first and fiftieth operational winch rescue during this single task. A further ten night rescues were performed on the same night by another crew.
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In recognition of 34 years of outstanding professional performance and dedication, Emergency Management Queensland Helicopter Rescue is awarded Grand Master’s Australian Medal. In 1981 the Queensland Government established a Helicopter Unit within the State Emergency Service. Renamed in 2004 the EMQ Helicopter Rescue (EMQ HR) it currently operates a fleet of three Agusta Westland AW139s and two Bell 412s, the Service logs around 3000 hours each year providing Queensland (a land area seven times that of the British Isles) with a 24 hour-a-day, seven day a week response to meet emergency, community and Government aviation needs
Throughout its history EMQ HR has made an outstanding contribution to the development and improvement of helicopter rescue services in Australia. In 2008, it was the first emergency helicopter operator approved by the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to use Night Vision Goggles (NVG) in SAR operations. A number of recent rescues have been completed through the detection of mobile phone lighting from large distances.
During the devastating floods of 2010 and 2011, EMQ HR conducted a series of daring and extremely challenging rescues in the Lockyer Valley in atrocious weather conditions. Maps were useless in the conditions, described as an inland tsunami, and the few patches of ground that weren’t inundated by the waters were frequently festering with snakes and other animals desperate to escape the flood.
The February 2013, Bundaberg Floods became the focus of another significant rescue operation when 50 individuals were rescued on a single day. Significantly, the Rescue Crew Officer (RCO) on the day had only recently received his qualifications and performed both his first and fiftieth operational winch rescue during this single task. A further ten night rescues were performed on the same night by another crew.
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