MISSION SUMMARY

• Tuesday 25^th January, Primary cancelled due to weather– Tasked to an MVA at Broadwater. Aircraft could not fly due to poor weather conditions. Retrieval doctor was transported to the scene by road.
• Thursday 26th January, AUSSAR Search; Tasked by AUSSAR to search for an emergency beacon signal in the Grafton area. Tasked to start at the Clarence River mouth and search upstream and along feeder creeks. Searched the Yamba area then up the Clarence River to 5nm west of Grafton. Ground search conducted with hand held homer device. No signal found.
• Thursday 26^th, Primary, cancelled due to weather. Tasked to Glenreigh
• Friday 27^th January, AUSSAR Search; Beacon in the Nymboida River area. Two persons located on an isolated property. They had been without food for three days. The female t had chest pains following a fall. Both people and their dog were transported to Grafton Base Hospital.
• Saturday 28^th January – Primary – Tasked to a flood isolated property south west of Coutts Crossing. Transported an elderly male to Grafton Base Hospital with lower leg injuries.
• Sunday 29^th January – Primary – Tasked to a property at Bolivia – 30 kms south of Tenterfield were a male had been squashed by a horse. Male was stabilised and flown to Lismore Base Hospital.

Wednesday and Thursday were particularly busy with two ‘back to back’ Primary missions on Wednesday and a Primary mission on Thursday which saw the Helicopter on task for over 8 hours.

These particular primary missions occurred in the southern and northern areas, respectively, of our 40,000 square kilometre flight region.

MISSION SUMMARY
•    Monday 16th January – Secondary – IHT of male cardiac patient from Lismore to the Gold Coast Hospital.

•    Tuesday 17th January – Primary – MVA on Bangalow Road near Binna Burra for male patient with head and chest injuries.

•    Wednesday 18th January – Primary – MVA on Gwydir Highway where a car crashed into a tree. Airlifted an 8 year old boy with spinal injuries to Coffs Harbour Hospital.

•    Wednesday 18th January – Primary – Beach insertion of paramedic and doctor to near drowning victim. Medical crew inserted and retrieved by winch to the beach. Aircraft repositioned nearby while patient stabilised. Patient airlifted to Coffs Harbour Hospital from.

•    Thursday 19th January – Primary – Combined ground party and helicopter winch rescue of young male who had fallen from Blackbutt Lookout on Tweed Range Road the previous night. Patient airlifted to a nearby waiting ambulance for transport to Tweed Heads Hospital.

•    Friday 20th January, Secondary IHT of an elderly male with sepsis from Lismore Airport to the Prince Alfred Hospital, Brisbane.

•    Friday 20th January, Secondary, IHT of an elderly intubated unconscious male from Grafton Hospital to Lismore Base Hospital.

•    Saturday 21st January, Primary – Water rescue near the Ballina River spit area. One person found drowned.

•    Saturday 21st January – Secondary – IHT of a 45 year old cardiac patient from Lismore Base Hospital to the Gold Coast Hospital.

•    Sunday 22nd January – Secondary – of an 80 year old male cardiac patient from Grafton Hospital to P A Hospital, Brisbane.

During the past week Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter attended a total of 9 missions – 8 of which were Secondary Inter Hospital Transfers. Three of these were carried out ‘back to back’ commencing at 4.15pm Wednesday through to 6am Thursday 11th January.

Inter Hospital Transfers involve airlifting patients who are in a serious condition which may be deteriorating or unstable. During the hand over from the transferring hospital’s emergency or intensive care team, the doctor on call will determine what if any medical procedures need to be effected before transporting the patient. On arrival at the destination hospital the doctor effects a transfer of care before leaving the patient.

MISSION SUMMARY

•    Monday 9th January – Secondary – IHT of an elderly female in a stable condition following a heart attack from Coffs Harbour Hospital to the Gold Coast airport.

•    Monday 9th January – Secondary – IHT of a 20 year old French national near drowning victim from Maclean hospital to Lismore Base Hospital.

•    Monday 9th January – Secondary – IHT of a 3 month old infant with an obstructed bowel from Lismore Base Hospital to the Mater Hospital Brisbane.

•    Tuesday 10th January, Secondary – IHT of a female patient from Grafton Hospital to Lismore Base Hospital.

•    Wednesday 11th January, (4.15pm), Secondary – IHT of a 70 year old male hemorrhagic patient from Lismore Base Hospital to the Gold Coast Hospital.

•    Wednesday 11th January, (7.45 pm), Secondary IHT of a 28 year old pregnant female involved in a motor vehicle accident, accompanied by a midwife, from Lismore Airport to the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

•    Thursday 11th January, (3.00 am), Secondary IHT of a 33 year old female following a poly pharmacy overdose, from Lismore Base Hospital to the Gold Coast Hospital.

•    Friday 13th January, Secondary – IHT of a female patient with renal failure from Grafton Base Hospital to Tweed Heads Hospital.

•    Saturday 14th January, Search & Rescue (water) tasked to search for 3 persons in the water at Moonie Beach.  Missions called off just after take off

MISSIONS SUMMARY

•    Monday 19th Dec – Primary, female patient with compound fracture to leg following a single vehicle MVA 5km north of Uki. Patient was transported to Tweed Heads Hospital.

•    Wednesday 21st Dec – Primary, 70 year old female patient from a pedestrian accident with a car in Ballina. Transported in a critical condition to Lismore Base Hospital.

•    Friday 23rd Dec- IHT, Lismore Base Hospital to the Royal Children’s Hospital, 2 year old with Leukaemia.

•    Friday 23rd Dec- IHT, Grafton Base Hospital to the Mater Hospital, Brisbane. Female adult with renal failure.

•    Saturday 24th Dec- IHT, Grafton Hospital to the Mater Hospital, Brisbane. 12 year old male, spinal injury post motor cycle accident.

•    Sunday 25th Dec- Search for a missing swimmer off Cabarita SLSC club house. Nothing found after intensive search.

•    Sunday 25th Dec- Primary, female injured following a 3m fall from a veranda in Glenreagh. Transported to Port Macquarie Airport to meet with Westpac Rescue Helicopter from Newcastle, were she was transferred to Sydney with a suspected spinal.

•    Sunday 25th Dec- IHT of a male patient from Maclean Hospital to Lismore Base Hospital.

•    Monday 26th Dec- Search near a property on upper Wilson’s Creek Rd for a missing 37yo male. No sightings

•    Tuesday 26th Dec- Primary, MVA on the Pacific Highway near Broadwater to retrieve a 5yo cardiac arrest patient ejected from a vehicle. Patient was transported to Lismore Base Hospital in critical condition.

•    Wednesday 27th Dec- Retrieval of a 28yo male from Rover Park near Sandy Hill to Lismore Base Hospital. Patient was reported to be suffering pelvic injuries following a dirt bike accident.

•    Friday 29th Dec- Primary, to a property in Uki to retrieve a female patient with suspected spinal injuries due to a horse fall. Patient was transported to Tweed Heads Hospital.

•    Saturday 30th Dec- Primary, for a male patient who had been butted in the face by a bull at a place near Casino called Leeville. The  Patient was transported to Lismore Base Hospital

•    Saturday 30th Dec- IHT adult male transported in a stable condition, with a head injury from Lismore Base Hospital to the Gold Coast Hospital.

•    Sunday 31st Dec- Primary, multiple vehicle MVA at the overpass on Pacific highway near Bangalow. One 22yo male patient transported to Lismore Base Hospital with chest injuries.

•    Sunday 31st Dec- Primary, 39 year old male fell from a tree at Tyalgum. Patient suffered back injuries, and was transported in a stable condition to Lismore Base Hospital.

•    Sunday 31st Dec- IHT middle aged female with spinal injuries was transported from Lismore Base Hospital to Prince Alexander Hospital.

•    Monday 1st Jan- IHT 3yo with a brain tumor was transported from Grafton Base Hospital to Royal Brisbane Hospital.

•    Monday 1st Jan- AUSSAR beacon Search, for an inadvertent activation of an out of date 121.5 Mhz ELB. Beacon was found in refuse bin on private property at Casino.
(IHT – inter hospital transfer, MVA – Motor Vehicle Accident)

MISSIONS SUMMARY

•    Tuesday 13th search for missing 74 year old male at Buccarumbi – no sign of missing man found
•    Friday 16th inter hospital transfer to Royal Brisbane Hospital for male with head injury received in an assault
•    Saturday 17th boat capsize of Point Danger with two people on board – cancelled enroute
•    Saturday 17th injured walker on Mt Warning – cancelled enroute
•    Saturday 17th search for hang glider in the water off Skennars Head – cancelled enroute
•    Pilots flew four currency training flights

On Monday 5^th and Tuesday 6^th December the Service joined in the search for a teenager missing in the surf off Cabarita Beach.

On Sunday 11^th December the Service was tasked to assist police in the search for a person reported missing at Main Beach Byron Bay. The Helicopter searched the area from The Pass to Tyagarah and seaward for one kilometre and found no sign of the missing person.

Training:

New pilot underwent two training exercises.

Summary:

Further details:
Primary
Monday 28th November: Tasked to airlift a 57-year-old woman who fell from her horse on South Ballina beach. (Photo left: Woman being attended by paramedics ready for airlift to Lismore). The woman was hit in the back by the horse’s hoof and hit her head on the hard sand. She was unconscious for approximately 5 minutes. Paramedics treated the woman at the scene before she was airlifted to Lismore Helibase.

Search and Rescue
Tuesday 29th November: Tasked to assist police in the search for a missing 22 year old male in the Huonbrook, Upper Coopers Creek area. The man walked into a nearby farm house and did not require further assistance.

Training

• Water winch check for pilot and currency for two aircrew and two rescue crew
• Land winch re-currency for two paramedics

*Primary missions are missions where the Service is tasked to retrieve a patient from an accident scene.
*Secondary missions usually involve the transfer of a patient from a regional hospital to a major and/or specialist hospital e.g. Grafton to Brisbane.
*Search and Rescue missions may be over water, bush or mountainous areas.

On Sunday 27^th November the Helicopter airlifted a woman from a motor vehicle accident near Grafton.  The woman was trapped after her vehicle hit a cow and collided with another vehicle. The woman was airlifted from the scene to the Lismore Helibase and transferred by road ambulance to Lismore Base Hospital.

A newborn baby girl was airlifted to Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital with a specialist neo natal team on Saturday.

On Sunday 27^th a 4 year old boy with a small coin lodged in his throat was airlifted with his mother from Grafton Base Hospital to the Lismore Helibase and taken by road to Lismore Base Hospital.

Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter and Care Flight were both tasked to attend a serious car accident near Tenterfield on Saturday. A 55 year old male was transferred from Tenterfield Base Hospital to Lismore.

Maintenance and training flights were conducted during the week Helicopter and included currency training and checking flights for pilots; Helicopter LRH was flown on a maintenance flight to check recently installed equipment, and Doctor Brett Shaw received re-currency land winch training.

Pilot: Rob Moore
Aircrew: Jethro Lampe
Patient Care: Doctor, Steve Diamond; Paramedic, Glen Rice

TUESDAY 11th November
Time: 5.20 PM
Mission Type: Police Search
Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to assist Police in the search for a missing 70 year old woman around the Terranora Lakes area.

Pilot: Rob Moore
Aircrew: Jimmy Keough; Tom Lee Lewes
Patient Care: Paramedic, Glen Rice.

WEDNESDAY 11th November
Time: 3.04 PM
Mission Type: AUSAR beacon search
Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to locate an AUSAR emergency beacon. Beacon was located in the Liston rubbish tip and was switched off and secured.

Pilot: Marty Hanna
Aircrew: Roger Fry, Jethro Lampe
Patient Care: Paramedics, Andrew Osborne.

THURSDAY 17TH November
Time: 6.35 pm
Mission Type: Secondary
Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to airlift an elderly cardiac patient from  Maclean Hospital to John Flynn Hospital.

Pilot: Marty Hanna
Aircrew: Mick Kerry
Patient Care: Paramedic, Glen Rice.

THURSDAY 17TH November
Time: 8.30 PM
Mission Type: Secondary

Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to airlift a 5 year old girl in a stable condition from Lismore Base Hospital to Mater Hospital Brisbane.

Pilot: Marty Hanna
Aircrew: Jethro Lampe
Patient Care: Doctor, Richard Mahoney; Paramedic, Peter Haron.

SATURDAY 19th November
Time: 5.45 PM
Mission Type: AUSAR beacon search
Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to search for a group of kayakers on the Jakadgery River following activation of an emergency beacon. Contact was made with the group and beacon was found to be an inadvertent activation.

Pilot: Rob Moore
Aircrew: Steve von Bratt, Todd Seymour
Patient Care: Paramedic, Peter Haron.

SUNDAY 20TH November
Time: 4.04 pm
Mission Type: Primary
Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to airlift a man reported trapped under a fallen tree at Talofa (Coopers Shoot near Bangalow). Patient was transported to Lismore Base Hospital by road.

Pilot: Rob Moore
Aircrew: Roger Fry, Todd Seymour
Patient Care: Paramedics, Peter Haron, Gonzalo de Angulo.

Mission Type: Secondary
Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to airlift a 39 year old male from Lismore Base Hospital to the Gold Coast Hospital.

Pilot: Rob Moore
Aircrew: Steve von Bratt
Patient Care: Doctor, Danielle Wood; Paramedic, Gonzalo de Angulo.

Pilot: Rob Moore
Aircrew: Mick Kerry
Patient Care: Paramedic, Jason Wann

FRIDAY 11th November
Time: 10.20 AM
Mission Type: Primary
Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to attend a motor vehicle accident on the Pacific Highway near Harwood Island. Two patients deceased at the scene.

Pilot: Marty Hanna
Aircrew: Jimmy Keough
Patient Care: Doctor, Steve Diamond; Paramedic, Gonzalo De Angulo.

FRIDAY 11th November
Time: 3.04 PM
Mission Type: Primary
Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to airlift an adult male from a rural property at Terania Creek, east of Nimbin. The man was airlifted to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane with suspected spinal injuries after a tree branch fell on him.

Pilot: Marty Hanna
Aircrew: Jimmy Keough
Patient Care: Paramedics, Rolan Murcott, Gonzalo De Angulo.

SUNDAY 13th November
Time: 2.43 AM
Mission Type: Secondary
Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to airlift a 34 year old male who was unconscious, from Kyogle Hospital to Gold Coast Hospital.

Pilot: Tom Hulse
Aircrew: Steve von Bratt
Patient Care: Doctor, Steve Diamond; Paramedic, Glenn Eady.

SUNDAY 13th November
Time: 2.20 PM
Mission Type: Secondary

Summary: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was tasked to airlift a 5 year old boy from Urbenville to Lismore Base Hospital.

Pilot: Tom Hulse
Aircrew: Mick Kerry
Patient Care: Doctor, Steve Diamond; Paramedic, Andrew Osborne