Helicopter Rescues in Tasmania "2"

[Overlandman]

A couple today
Nice day for a fly

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/443 ... a/?cs=5312

[Strider]

Sounds like someone became trapped during a low tide adventure to Grass Island

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[Overlandman]

One from the East Coast

No water

From the Mercury

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasma ... 53e1141061

SIX people have been plucked by helicopter from the base of Mt Amos on the East Coast.

Police Rescue were involved in the hour-long operation yesterday afternoon.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew performed nine winches and flew three trips to fly the exhausted group of two Hobart fathers, aged 60 and 56, and their four children, aged between 12 and 16, to Swannick where they were met by local police and ambulance.

Senior constable Josh Peach said the group had left in the morning to climb Mt Amos and then Mt Dove on a day where the temperature climbed to 27C. Police said they had no water.

[Overlandman]

More from ABC

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-05/h ... et/8242574

[Tas Tom]

I know it has probably been said many times before, and may be regarded by some as harsh, but I really don't understand why these people don't get a hefty bill for this rescue. Cleared very poorly planned, no water(!!), and yet they get a free chopper ride out. I get the fact that they required to be rescued but surely they need to take some responsibility for getting into that predicament.
I do a lot of solo walking in Tas, try and plan properly for my trips and have contributed several hundred dollars a year to the Westpac helicopter service for many years - thinking that maybe one day I could get into real trouble and need it. Fortunately I haven't to date. Seems my contributions are going some small way to pay for free rescues such as this one.

[north-north-west]

[Lophophaps]

Like many parts of life, bushwalkers can be group by ability - total bumbly to the heavy end of the spectrum, very fit, good gear, good judgement and a lot of experience. On balance of probability, the first classification is likely to need help for a very simple blunder, and the latter will only need help in dire and exceptional circumstances.

It used to be that road prangs were called accidents. No more. An accident is avoidable, so being drunk, having an unroadworthy vehicle, failing to indicate, exceeding the posted speed limit or a speed suitable for the conditions, and diverging laterally when unsafe are avoidable. Any prang so caused is not an accident - it's a collision.

Alternatively, a flat tyre, a heathy driver having a heart attack or a seizure, or an otherwise sound vehicle having a mechanical failure leading to a prang would probably be classified as accidents.

The bumbly walker is an accident waiting to happen. The heavy end walker is most probably at risk from unavoidable circumstances. In both cases the only way to minimise risk is to stay home.

If the bumbly walker is invoiced, how does the one know where to stop on the bumbly-heavy spectrum? I do not have an answer for that.

Police Rescue are on standby at all times. It could be a prang on the M1, an industrial incident, or a boat that is sinking. While there are certainly costs for the rescues, I'm advised that the extra costs for each rescue are small compared to the standing costs.

Better education and better signs at parks would go a long way to assist. And at times, better management by other agencies.

[climberman]

I know it has probably been said many times before, and may be regarded by some as harsh, but I really don't understand why these people don't get a hefty bill for this rescue. Cleared very poorly planned, no water(!!), and yet they get a free chopper ride out. I get the fact that they required to be rescued but surely they need to take some responsibility for getting into that predicament.
I do a lot of solo walking in Tas, try and plan properly for my trips and have contributed several hundred dollars a year to the Westpac helicopter service for many years - thinking that maybe one day I could get into real trouble and need it. Fortunately I haven't to date. Seems my contributions are going some small way to pay for free rescues such as this one.

I think that people shouldn't feel penalised for calling in help. Imagine if they'd put this off for another five hours because they were scared of a bill? Then there'd still be a chopper cost but dead or severely impaired people, or hospitilisation due to organ failure.
We have no idea how they may have donated their time or money to this or other social benefit in the past.
I'm sure they feel a bit daft and pretty much have learned their lesson.

The report also isn't clear - they may well have left with water but been caught out with not enough, or had a broken bladder or bottle. News reports are rarely fullycorrect or comprehensive.

[stepbystep]

This incident is a shocker. I once did Mt Amos/Dove in a tick over 4 hrs going up in the dark to catch the sunrise. There is virtually no scrub if you know what you are doing, bit there is no water unless you know where to look. There are signs at the start of the track indicating there is no water and that each member of the party should carry 500ml/hour they expect to be out.
I was up there watching the rescue happen. A stunning day...Are they stupid? Yes. Should they have made better efforts to self extract? Probably. Should they pay for the rescue? No way. I do believe if folk can afford a donation to the service that'd be great, but certainly not compulsory.

[Overlandman]

Last month it was poor signage and run out of sugar at Leven Canyon.
This month it is run out of water at Mt Amos
Tea & coffee will be next
The rescue helicopter crew require training, real life rescues give them the training they require.
Keep up the great work.
Regards OLM

[Overlandman]

On the evening ABC news tonight there was a story on our rescue helicopter.
The story was about the rescue helicopter being in high demand.
A record 100 hours was flown during the month of January.
Most rescues involved lost or injured bush walkers.
Regards OLM

[Overlandman]

One today from Waterfall Valley

http://www.examiner.com.au/story/446241 ... n/?cs=5312

A walker with a suspected broken ankle has been airlifted from Cradle Mountain by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

The woman was walking on the Overland Track on Sunday with her partner and step-son when she injured her ankle.

She was unable to complete the journey or return to the car park.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter collect the woman and her family from the Waterfall Valley Hut, where they had made their way along the Overland Track.

[Penguin]

These are mates of mine. She is extremely fit and they were well prepared. Fortunately it is a clean break of the fibula and should heal well. After a family conference the boys decided to continue on the track as she was not in too much pain. Can anybody think of a way that we can get a message to Pelion hut where the boys are spending the next two nights (Monday and Tuesday) that she is well and off home today. There names are Paul and Jack, they are both slim, six feet tall with a red and a green packs.

[Lophophaps]

PWS may be able to assist. Surely there are PWS people on the track. Maybe leave messages at all huts. How about the commercial people? Due to a higher level of care needed they may have comms that work where mobile phones do not. Could they make a detour from their route to leave messages in huts? Do all huts have notice boards?

[Nuts]

Email: info@tasmanianhikes.com.au 0400 882 742

[Penguin]

Thanks Nuts

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

The bumbly walker is an accident waiting to happen. The heavy end walker is most probably at risk from unavoidable circumstances. In both cases the only way to minimise risk is to stay home.
Better education and better signs at parks would go a long way to assist. And at times, better management by other agencies.[/q

You could have a sign every metre along every track, but you cannot make people read them, let alone follow the instructions.
Freycinet has ample information about what to carry on walks, as do most heavily visited parks.
Doing a foot based recovery is both time and labour intensive, mostly by volunteer Ambulance SES, and Rangers if they happen to be around.
Many Air rescue/recoveries are conducted without PWS staff being aware, let alone facilitating.

As for bumblies vs experienced:
2 years ago a group of North West Walking Club members set off a PLB because they were 50m from their cars on the wrong side of a flooded river near Mother Cummings Peak.
They set off on a day walk whern the forecast was for heavy rain in the area.
probably 300 years of collective experience, and a large dose of arrogance.
The chopper lifted them to their cars, even though nobody was injured or in any danger.
Enough said.

[Overlandman]

Hi Penguin
Hope your friends are ok.

Story from ABC re record month.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-13/t ... rd/8263734

[Penguin]

Hi Penguin
Hope your friends are ok.

She is on a plane back to Queensland with her leg in a cast. To quote "First helicopter, ambulance, wheelchair ride in my life and first cast. I'm disappointed as hell but in hardly any pain, so I just sat around in the hut and everyone was lovely to me on Saturday night. We still camped out near the old toilet that night (Waterfall Valley) and the weather was wild, but the hut was pretty crowded so it was definitely the right thing to do. The hut warden was great..."

The efficiency of Tasmania rescue and acute care evident again.

P

[Overlandman]

One from Cox's Bight South Coast track

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/447 ... e/?cs=5312

Tasmania Police are urging bushwalkers in the state to carry a means of communication such as a satelite phone or a PLB after a man was found waiting for assistance for two days.

More from the examiner

http://www.examiner.com.au/story/447377 ... d/?cs=5312

A 62-year-old German man who collapsed on a walking track waited two days before he was found.

The man was located by a group of walker’s on the South Coast Track near Cox Bight on Thursday.

[Overlandman]

One from South East Cape.

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/447 ... h/?cs=5312

A 50-year-old Victorian man has been rescued by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter after a Cockle Creek volunteer park ranger called for help.

On Friday morning Tasmania Police Search and Rescue were contacted by the park ranger who had concerns for the welfare of the Victorian man who had embarked on an off-track bushwalk to South East Cape.

[Overlandman]

One from the Penguin - Cradle Trail

http://www.examiner.com.au/story/449221 ... r/?cs=5312

The group was completing the Penguin to Cradle Trail via Leven Canyon when the man was injured. Tasmania Police said the bushwalkers were experienced and well equipped. Police praised the group for carrying the locator beacon, and reminded others of their importance when undertaking similar activities.

[Overlandman]

One near Deloraine.

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/450 ... t/?cs=5312

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter has come to the aid of Chinese tourist who spent Tuesday night lost in bushland near Deloraine.

About 11.30am on Tuesday, the 25-year-old woman embarked on a walk from Western Creek to Lady Lake, via the Higgs Track.

[dunamis]

She ended up being spotted on Dale Brook creek having followed it down stream. Somehow missed the Higgs track car park. One SES team searched through the night and two teams took over this morning. Tough day in dense scrub to work our way along Dale Brook top to bottom




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[Paul]

The lady most likely lost her way coming back down the Higgs Track, by veering north. Therefore she would have hit Dale Brook downstream of the carpark track/bridge. ( i.e. not walking past it without seeing it )

Paul.

[Overlandman]

Not a rescue, but the media are still confused re epirb & plb

From the Mercury

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasma ... fa916402ad

[Overlandman]

Two hikers were rescued from the Cradle Mountain area this afternoon and flown to Launceston General Hospital.
They both suffered injuries that were associated with a fall.
Will post more details when they become available.
Regards OLM

[Aztec]

From the TasPol Facey page:

Top work by our Search and Rescue team today with the location of a 27 year old Taiwanese woman residing in Hobart who became missing in Cradle Mountain -Lake St Clair national park.

Yesterday around 3pm police became aware that the woman was missing. Her belongings had been left at New Pelion Hut and it was reported that she had not been seen since early Friday, 21st April 2017.

The woman had left with little clothing or equipment at the hut indicating that she had only left for a short walk and was not equipped for an overnight camp.

Police Search and Rescue along with members from the State Emergency Service walked into the park last night (Saturday, 22/4/17) to commence a search arriving in the early hours of the morning.

The Westpac Police Rescue Helicopter wasn't able to be used due to poor weather conditions. Additional police and SES search and rescue members arrived at the park at 8am this morning to assist with search efforts.

Around 11am this morning, two days after last being seen, the woman was located with a badly broken ankle near “The Gap”. She had spent two nights badly injured in bushland without proper clothing or shelter for the conditions overnight.

Due to those ongoing poor weather conditions the helicopter can’t reach her and she is being stretcher carried to Pelion Hut which is expected to take several hours. A paramedic is expected to walk into the area this afternoon with police to render some medical assistance.

At this point she will be cared for at New Pelion Hut overnight and if weather clears, flown to hospital tomorrow morning by the Westpac Police Rescue Helicopter.

Representatives from the Taiwan Embassy have been regularly updated by police and have been passing information back to family in Taiwan.

[Overlandman]

She has been rescued.
Well done to all involved.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-24/i ... in/8467470

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Wow, two nights with just the clothes on her back in April on the side of Pelion East? She's very lucky to be alive.

And she works for Parks? You'd imagine they'd have requirements on minimum training and equipment for their staff?

If I broke my ankle on the Pelion East climb, I wouldn't be heading for a water source. I'd have scurried on my butt/good leg to Pelion Gap where I know I would be found very quickly. Why go off the track?

Bizarre.