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.

“This year will be exciting as it is not only our 30^th anniversary but we are launching a brand new event – the Ballina to Byron Bay Charity Walk,” Krystal said.

“We want to put the fun back into fundraising and our 2012 calendar of events will do just that.”

If you would like to assist with any of our events, please do give us a call, as there is sure to be a job you can help with.

2012 EVENTS CALENDAR

Wills Day – March 26-30

Ballina to Byron Bay Charity Walk – May 20

Diamonds and Pearls Gala Dinner, Coffs Harbour – June 16

Yellow Pages Lismore 4WD Caravan, Camping and Marine Show July 6-8

Yellow Pages Hell on Wheels Cycle Tour – October 13-20

Yellow Pages Charity Golf Day Ballina Nov 16

Trinity Drive Christmas Lights 13-24 December

If you would like to assist with any of our events, please do give us a call, as there is sure to be a job you can help with.

In the week 26 to 30 March, 2011 you can have a Will professionally drafted by a fully qualified solicitor. Whether you are updating an existing Will or making one for the first time, in only 20 minutes the solicitor can draft a Will to ensure your wishes are correctly recorded, giving you peace of mind.

Solicitors in Northern NSW are donating their time in support of the rescue helicopter and to assist people from the communities across the helicopter’s flight region.

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, please phone the Lismore Helibase office on 6627 4444.

BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL

When: Monday 26 March to Friday 30 March
Where: Lennox Head, Alstonville, Ballina, Casino, Kyogle,
Sawtell, Grafton, Lismore, Maclean, Tenterfield,
Yamba and Evans Head

Participating Solicitors

Parker & Kissane, Casino;
Trenches McKenzie Cox,
Mulcahy Lawyers,
Robson & Oliver,
Conroy Stewart Spagnolo,
Foott Law & Co,
Baker Mannering & Hart,
Jennings & Kneipp,
Pollack Greening & Hampshire,
McVittie Legal,
Liston and Clifton Law,
Mark Flynn & Associates

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.