Heart Attack in the Middle of the Overland Track!

[Son of a Beach]

ABC News story here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011 ... 127401.htm

Sounds like a solo walker, but another walker at Pelion Hut did a quick walk up Mt Doris to get Mobile phone reception to call for help.

[Phil]

yeah I saw that, was a small article in the Examiner today on it. Hopefully they're ok.....

[Deb]

Now we know where the helicopter was going! We were camped at Dixons Kingdom in the WOJ last night and went for a short stroll at about 5.30 as the weather cleared. The rescue helicopter flew over the top of us and towards Cradle. We were wondering what had happened.

[ILUVSWTAS]

There was also an incident on the Southern Ranges last week, near Mt Wylla (should be Wylly mercury!!) a fellow had to be choppered out

[flatfoot]

It must have been quiet at New Pelion that day. I wonder what time the walker set off to raise the alarm? Surprising that there wasn't someone else there with a PLB or Spot. I wonder if there are any stats for the percentage of walkers / parties that carry a PLB, Spot or sat phone on the Overland Track?

[AndyP]

And another one from Federation Peak area yesterday. Its all happening.

[ILUVSWTAS]

And another one from Federation Peak area yesterday. Its all happening.

wow, just when I was thinking it had been a quiet year in that regard.

[Erica]

Hey guys. I got back from an Overland yesterday and my group were kind of involved in this... apparently the lady was having heart troubles in the morning at New Pelion. The girl I was working with spoke to two Aussie guys about 2pm (ish) that were wondering about getting phone reception. I had our company's satellite phone with me up Mt Ossa, but she told them where they were able to get reception with Telstra Next G on Doris and they got the call out and then headed to Kia Ora. From what I hear, there may have been people with PLBs down there at Pelion as well, but didn't want to set one off, I'm not 100% sure on that part of the story as I actually didn't speak to any of them.

[iandsmith]

Gosh, hope the story ended alright. Very exciting stuff. At least she had people who were aware, not like poor old Dombrovskis.
Cheers all

[corvus]

Only going on your hearsay Erica but I guess the PLB owners/hirers thought they were for exclusive personal use and not to use to save anyone else
Also glad that it turned out OK in the end as "Death on the Overland" is not nearly as interesting as "Death on the Orient Express"
c

[rogo]

Aren't PLB's registered to a person? And don't they call your nominated contact to make sure it was not set off accidentally?

I would, in a heart beat, set it off for anyone with life threatening needs but I would also worry that my loved ones would panic needlessly thinking it was me. I am sure that would be sorted out once the emergency crew was at hand but boy, it would scare the hell out my family for a few hours.

Ro

[norts]

Also once the chopper has arrived you can turn it off and use it again and if the chopper hasnt taken long then you will still have plenty of battery power.

Roger

[tasadam]

Also once the chopper has arrived you can turn it off and use it again and if the chopper hasnt taken long then you will still have plenty of battery power.

Roger

A worthy point to note. They are usually good for 24 hours.

[flatfoot]

Also once the chopper has arrived you can turn it off and use it again and if the chopper hasnt taken long then you will still have plenty of battery power.

Roger

A worthy point to note. They are usually good for 24 hours.

The energizer lithiums in my spot 2 lasted for 12 days. That's with track progress running on average for about 6 hrs per day. That was from 8 days of walking on the overland in December plus 4 walks back in the Blue Mountains during January. Recall that the spot tries to send out a position update every 10 minutes in the track progress mode.

[Lizzy]

Before a walk I always remind my family that if they get the dreaded call from Emergency Services that it may actually be for someone else.... I know they'd still be stressed not knowing but I think it is worth putting this in their minds
Lizzy

[Tony]

Aren't PLB's registered to a person? And don't they call your nominated contact to make sure it was not set off accidentally?

I would, in a heart beat, set it off for anyone with life threatening needs but I would also worry that my loved ones would panic needlessly thinking it was me. I am sure that would be sorted out once the emergency crew was at hand but boy, it would scare the hell out my family for a few hours.

Ro

A very good point Ro, like you I would not hesitate to set my PLB off if I came across someone else in a life threatening situation, but I would also be very worried about my wife having a heart attack when emergency people rang her to check.

I am glad the person who had the heart attack made it out alive but not all are so lucky.

As an older person who has had some heart problems in the past and who mainly bushwalks with older people treating heart attacks while bushwalking is something that I often think about.

A question that I ask when doing my CPR refresher course, if I am bushwalking with someone and that that person has a heart attack and their heart stops and I start performing CPR but the heart does not respond (ie does not start again) how long can I perform CPR.

The answer is that we are not able to perform CPR for a sustained period of time and unless suitable medical help is very close that person is dead.

Tony

[flatfoot]

Before a walk I always remind my family that if they get the dreaded call from Emergency Services that it may actually be for someone else.... I know they'd still be stressed not knowing but I think it is worth putting this in their minds
Lizzy

That's a good point.

[tasadam]

Does emergency services always phone the contacts registered against that PLB before setting out?
Whenever I am going on a walk, I first log into this site https://www.beacons.amsa.gov.au/Default.aspx
Then on the left side, click on Beacons

Highlight the beacon and click on edit.
Add details like this -

Check the emergency contacts below that section, and adjust the order if necessary. Then I do a screen capture and email the emergency contacts that detail, so they know what was said.

[Nuts]

I hear she'll be ok... well done to those involved

[north-north-west]

Does emergency services always phone the contacts registered against that PLB before setting out?
Whenever I am going on a walk, I first log into this site https://www.beacons.amsa.gov.au/Default.aspx
Then on the left side, click on Beacons

Beacon1.jpg

Highlight the beacon and click on edit.
Add details like this -

Beacon2.jpg

Check the emergency contacts below that section, and adjust the order if necessary. Then I do a screen capture and email the emergency contacts that detail, so they know what was said.

Which is great if you have set plans and access to a computer, which I often don't by the time I've made up my mind where to go. And as for having to 'check in' with someone before leaving, even if there is mobile reception wherever I'm leaving from . . .
But all that, plus my doing solo walks, means the beacon's even more vital for me. Can't *&%$#! well win, can you?

[AndyP]

And another one from the Walls of Jerusalem yesterday:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011 ... 135951.htm

Apparently the chap who was rescued from the Western Arthurs a few weeks back because his 'tent' was shredded had actually only taken a ground sheet and fly.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Apparently the chap who was rescued from the Western Arthurs a few weeks back because his 'tent' was shredded had actually only taken a ground sheet and fly.

Oh man seriously?? Was he drunk? Or just an idiot???

[ollster]

Apparently the chap who was rescued from the Western Arthurs a few weeks back because his 'tent' was shredded had actually only taken a ground sheet and fly.

Ummm... coming as someone who bivvied along the WAs... that's *&%$#! stupid.

[north-north-west]

...at Mersey Cragg inside the park...

Can't the ABC employ a literate sub-editor?