Bend alot, that rollover and the burnt athletes all would have initially gone to the local hospitals for stabilisation (Derby, Kununurra). They would not have been ready for transport to Perth or Darwin until several hours later. The jet from Jandakot could have been using those hours to get to the Kimberley.
There are numerous cases and places where the jet base in Broome can be justified
Can you give me example scenarios? No need for specific cases, just scenarios. I have been asking for these scenarios for a while now. Remember that anybody coming from Broome will first be coming from the Broome hospital - so there will be plenty of time to get the jet up from Jandakot.
Cost should not be a factor when public health is the priority.
This is an incredible statement coming from someone that has worked for the RFDS,
morno. Cost is, in fact, the NUMBER ONE determinant in where/when/how medical services are provided. Everything is determined by cost. Everything. I once heard an RFDS nurse saying a similar thing. This is the starry-eyed, romantic, idealised notion of the RFDS. The reality is more down to earth. Money does not grow on trees.
And don't think cost is not important. Careflight and a few others have designs on a slice of WA's aeromedical contracts. The inter-hospital transfers, for example, is a niche that could be made into a separate contract (or has already been). Careflight could do that work much more cheaply than the RFDS.
Towering Q,
I love the way you pluck figures out of the air to suit your argument. Where did a million dollars come from?
The "million dollars" is an educated guess. I would guess 4-5 more pilots, 2-3 more nurses, and 1-2 more doctors. That is 7-10 houses to be provided to these staff, plus all the remote allowances and perks. What would be your estimate?
Surely you can see where the 2.5 hours comes from - and that it is a very accurate figure.
I am not at all "anti RFDS". They do a great job (but given their history, would have to be bloated and inefficient). I am anti having our taxes wasted. Our "governments" probably waste a good 50% of all that hard earned money we have to give them. Every day, they find new ways to waste it.