NSW Ambulance Winching fatality Australia.
 

NSW Ambulance reporting death of SCAT paramedic in a winching accident at Carrington Falls (near top end of Kangaroo Valley )
further details
Ambulance Service of NSW - Ambulance Service of NSW

Sad news.

My most sincere condolences to the family and crew.

Very sad news and regrets to family and friends. Are there any details available as to what happened?

Paramedic swung into ravine and to his death
Condolences.

Very sad news and my sincere condolences to the family and work colleagues.
Such tragic timing. RIP.

Condolences for a brave man who was willing to risk his life to save others, and eventually paid the ultimate price.

Very sad news. RIP.

Tragic news
 

Colleague, friend and good bloke. RIP Mick.

Vale Mick,

From a former work colleague from his Rockdale days and fellow Flight Paramedic.

RIP

Sincere condolences

Chan 10 news in Sydney are already querying whether canyoning should be allowed.

Does anyone know if consideration is given to carrying the accident victim out by stretcher ? Or if the helicopter can get into position is winching the only consideration?

In the 60's when I was involved in the Federation of Bushwalking Clubs Search and Rescue section helicopters were pretty well un affordable and most were hand carried out by stretcher.

It took longer but was possibly less risky. What do others think?

Dick,

It's all about the Golden Hour. More than that I'm not qualified to comment.

As for media questioning the allowability of a given activity, I'm sure you'll be able to find a media outlet questioning whether humans should be allowed to operate in the third dimension so we don't experience a fall.

Let the news cycle pass and we'll remember all of those who give their lives to help others.

From the extended emergency services and health family in the St George/Sutherland district, our deepest sympathy to Mick's family and colleagues. Like many others here, I had the privilege to have worked along side Mick at many jobs over the years. As has been acknowledged, a true professional, family man and all round good guy. He will be missed by many, and many tears have been shed.....

Dick makes the point about using feet rather than rotors to extract people; My professional opinion is that the widespread availability of aircraft, which are being paid for by government for rescue missions, when taken in context with the time, cost and effort to raise sufficient ground forces for a ground extraction, means inevitiably the response time of aircraft will always win out.

Freewheel made the point of the Golden Hour; I'm sure many of our highly qualified medical breathren will have a better perspective, but given the chance to hoist someone out of a hole and have them at a major trauma centre within an hour, versus a six hour walk out needing 20 or more stretcher bearers and gear ponies... I know what my first preference is...

BUT and it is a very big but, the reliance we have come to place on the availablity of aircraft comes at a high price. Our ability to deal with situations such as these when adverse weather strikes is critically diminished because we are so sure the magic fan will come from the sky to winch out our victim, we, collectively, rarely conduct ground based extractions, and generally speaking do not train particularly for those scenarios. Which is not to say we cannot make it happen but we certainly are not as practiced as we were several decades ago.

The other consideration that seems to be forgotten is the inherant risk in these operations. As the down the wire man, Mick paid the ultimate price in saving others; In this country, we have an exceptional safety record for winch work. That record is a result of regulation, a dedication to training and importantly a strong safety ethos. The risk has always been there however has been managed very well. The fact that we have been so fortunate in general with these missions means that the real risk is often forgotten by those in charge of resource deployment and tasking.

Mick's tragic death should be a reminder for those who take risks on behalf of others in the interests of the wider community, that we should never take each other, and family for granted. We are normally very fortunate that the holes in the Swiss cheese don't line up.

As to the discussion about banning high risk adventure sports; probably best left to another time, other than to say regardless of the risks I would not choose to live in a society where the freedom of adventure, exploration and outdoor travel is restricted. My experience over the years has been the most technically proficient and competent rescue staff, be they aircrewmen, ground rescuers or planners have all pursued these sports and activities and have a real understanding of what is involved. I know that the Mick Wilsons of the world would not want to see such a scenario considered.

Vale Mick.

How very sad, especially at this time of year. My condolences to this brave man's family and friends. Those who are prepared to put themselves in harm's way to rescue others are a special breed. Our SAR depends on them.

Very sad news. RIP.

Investigators probe paramedic's canyon death - ABC Sydney - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Please refer to the link above. Now is not the time for speculation.

My sincere condolences to the family of a fellow SAR aviator.

What an terrible accident.
Sounds like he prepped the victim into the litter kit and was already to be winched when he slipped or fell or stumbled from a rocky outcrop then swung accross the canyon and smashed into the cliff face absorbing the whole weight of the patient and the litter.
Crew lowered them both to the ground then couldn't get a response to clear to winch so cut the cable.
I reckon I would have gone to hell with it and just steady steady eased them both out and away to a suitable landing site.
Easy to say from my armchair though.

Very sad indeed and just goes to show how quickly things can go wrong when winching:sad:

Very sad.

A CHC aircraft?

Is such hoisting done as Public Transport in Australia?

Nice to hear from you Mick (Micksar). As Crab says it just shows how things can go wrong so quickly - no matter how you have trained. My condolences to the family and all associated with these missions

RIP - from a retired SAR Pilot

JohnW

Our thoughts are with his Family at this time. RIP.