Helicopter Rescues in Tasmania "2"

[Paul]

Well said Hawk, thats the best post on this issue of helicopters being called.. Paul.

[north-north-west]

Maybe someone had a kemo treatment, maybe one was a doctor and had to do life threatening surgery.

Can't speak for anyone else, but if I knew I had such major limiting issues on my bushwalking schedule, I'd research all the potential issues on my chosen route and check the weather forecast properly, but that's just me.

All of us walk in the wilderness and carry a PLB, ... the important thing is nobody died.

Events like this bother me because I've been down this road with another recreational pastime. Every time this sort of thing happens, there are questions in the broader, non-participating community, and there are pressures to "make it safer/reduce cost of S&R". That means more rules and more regulations and more limits on what people are allowed to do and how they do it. Most of the enjoyment went out of SCUBA diving for me when it became so regulated you spent almost as much time on the paperwork as in the water. We're already seeing so much more regulation on where and when we go to certain places; most of that is supposedly about environmental protection, but the "safety" issue is part of it.

We're lucky to have the service we do down here; I don't want it abused. There are valid reasons for requesting assistance and also valid reasons for expecting people to avoid doing so for easily foreseen circumstances.

[Lophophaps]

NNW has an excellent summary:
"We're lucky to have the service we do down here; I don't want it abused. There are valid reasons for requesting assistance and also valid reasons for expecting people to avoid doing so for easily foreseen circumstances."
This applies to all the areas I have walked in. I take care to be able to manage nearly everything that nature and happenstance throws at me. A little planning goes a long way. For example, doing the circuit from Charlotte Pass I go down to the Snowy River and cross that. It it's high then I can walk back to the pass in a short time. Going the other way there may be a high river just before the car park with three choices:
1 risk a hairy crossing;
2 camp and wait for the river to go down; or
3 go back.
None appeal. Also, while the road is a bit of a slog from Rawsons Pass it's easy to follow in any non-winter conditions.

The increased regulations and regimentation are apt for bumblies, but not for most experienced people. To a large extent I walk and camp where I want, and there's no trace.

[headwerkn]

I guess the question to ask ourselves is:

"Would I still do this trip - this way, with this weather forecast - if I didn't have a PLB/InReach with me?"

If the answer is "no", well, then that's potentially an issue.

Have to admit, it is easier to push things solo when you know someone's at home watching the dot. Food for thought.

[Overlandman]

Weekend Rescues from the Advocate

An injured walker on Mount Roland;
a walker with a lower leg injury in the Scotts Peak Dam area in the South-West; and
a party of lost walkers on the Frenchmans Cap Track in the South-West.
The helicopter found the Mount Roland walker and he was taken to safety.
The chopper flew the Scotts Peak Dam walker to the Royal Hobart Hospital for treatment.
It found the lost walkers and flew them to safety.
They were not injured.
Australian Search and Rescue told police of two of the incidents.
The Mount Roland walker rang police.

[wander]

a party of lost walkers on the Frenchmans Cap Track in the South-West.
.

I'm curious as to how this can occur? Or were they doing an off track route?

[Letstryagain]

a party of lost walkers on the Frenchmans Cap Track in the South-West.
.

I'm curious as to how this can occur? Or were they doing an off track route?

Inexperienced walkers or abelists come across a tree fall on the track. Bash around it and can't find the track on the other side. Stumble around in the forest for 15minutes before setting off the PLB a dozen metres from the track.

I "rescued" some folks on the arm river track once who'd been in that situation. They were standing within view of the track blowing whistles quite frantically. It was pretty funny, for me at least.

[amok]

Maybe someone had a kemo treatment, maybe one was a doctor and had to do life threatening surgery. All of us walk in the wilderness and carry a PLB, some even walk by themselves, that makes us ALL entitled. It's time to stop judging, a helicopter was called so what, the important thing is nobody died.

Maybe it's just my poor understanding of our medical system, but I wonder if someone could have filled in for that Dr rather than using the heli as a taxi?

[Overlandman]

Just announced that RotorLift will partner with Toll Group as part of its tender to continue supplying emergency helicopter services to the Tasmanian government.
So it’s possible Tasmania will get the larger Agusta Westland AW139 Helicopters.
No more Westpac logo on the helicopters.

[headwerkn]

Just announced that RotorLift will partner with Toll Group as part of its tender to continue supplying emergency helicopter services to the Tasmanian government.
So it’s possible Tasmania will get the larger Agusta Westland AW139 Helicopters.
No more Westpac logo on the helicopters.

Interesting. I wonder if this had anything to do with the winding up of the Rescue Helicopter Trust?
Weird that Westpac were 'happy' to lose arguably their most valuable sponsorship/branding/advertising venture. I can barely say "Rescue Helicopter" without saying "Westpac" first, the connection is so strong.
Apparently Toll have been a partner with SAR services on the mainland for a while.

Oh well, as long as the service exists and well funded, I don't care what it's called

[north-north-west]

Just announced that RotorLift will partner with Toll Group as part of its tender to continue supplying emergency helicopter services to the Tasmanian government.
So it’s possible Tasmania will get the larger Agusta Westland AW139 Helicopters.

Uggghhhh! Agusta make the ugliest helicopters around. I'd rather walk crawl.

[johnw]

Just announced that RotorLift will partner with Toll Group as part of its tender to continue supplying emergency helicopter services to the Tasmanian government.
So it’s possible Tasmania will get the larger Agusta Westland AW139 Helicopters.

Uggghhhh! Agusta make the ugliest helicopters around. I'd rather walk crawl.

Not that ugly, surely
https://www.tollambulancerescue.com.au/our-helicopters/#menu

[GregG]

For what it is worth, I knew a man who said an Augusta 139 was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. All depends on the circumstances.

[Letstryagain]

For what it is worth, I knew a man who said an Augusta 139 was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. All depends on the circumstances.

Clearly a virgin!

[headwerkn]

Given the choice, I'd want a Bell 222 dressed up as Airwolf so I could hum the theme song.

But let's be honest.... if you're out in whoop-whoop with a broken leg, snakebite or whatever, anything from a Sikorsky R-4 and up would be perfectly fine
All helis look roughly the same from underneath anyway

[GregG]

For what it is worth, I knew a man who said an Augusta 139 was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. All depends on the circumstances.

Clearly a virgin!

Nah, just very lucky.

[tastrax]

You will struggle to land an Augusta on an old growth button grass plain

[tastrax]

You will struggle to land an Augusta on an old growth button grass plain

[headwerkn]

From Tas Police... sounds pretty serious.
---

At 22.15 last night, Police were advised of an EPIRB activation at Federation Peak in the South West.

A bushwalker had failed to return to camp, and emergency responders were alerted by the man’s three companions.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was deployed to the area with a ground Search and Rescue crew on board.

The missing bushwalker had contacted authorities by phone and was able to provide coordinates to his location. He had fallen and sustained a head injury.

The man, in his 30s, was located about 1:45am and flown to the RHH.

[Overlandman]

From Rotorlift
24th February
Headed up to Pine Valley Hut near Lake St. Clair yesterday to provide assistance to a bushwalker.

[johnw]

You will struggle to land an Augusta on an old growth button grass plain

I'm assuming because they have very low ground clearance, Phil? Or too heavy?
I have noticed up here those things seem to hover absolutely dead still, even in windy conditions. Maybe not put down completely?
NSW parks sometimes do a one skid landing in their own (smaller) choppers in awkward locations, for fire management etc.

[north-north-west]

You will struggle to land an Augusta on an old growth button grass plain

I'm assuming because they have very low ground clearance, Phil? Or too heavy?

Probably ground clearance. Old Man buttongrass can be a metre high or more.

[Overlandman]

I'm assuming because they have very low ground clearance, Phil? Or too heavy?
I have noticed up here those things seem to hover absolutely dead still, even in windy conditions. Maybe not put down completely?
NSW parks sometimes do a one skid landing in their own (smaller) choppers in awkward locations, for fire management etc.

Auto Hover on those machines John

[Jon MS]

A major advantage of the BK117 is its ability to get into tight locations due to its fairly small rotor disk. Something that a Agusta may struggle with due to its larger main rotor. And yes, the Agusta has very low ground clearance, which will greatly restrict its ability to land during remote area rescues.

The photo below was taken on Deal Island during the rescue of a Victorian bushwalker while my wife and I were caretakers. The chopper came from Melbourne without getting clearance from Tasmanian Search and Rescue with the crew saying as soon as they landed, and I quote, "we have wanted to come here for ages" (and they did a circuit of the island when they left...).

But, the Agusta will be a faster machine with longer range, which is probably more of an advantage on the Mainland with its bigger distances.

[lefroy]

No further details on the Federation rescue?

[Letstryagain]

No further details on the Federation rescue?

Someone slipped and hurt themselves not enough?

[vagrom]

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://m. ... R8HB3zF6wB

[Letstryagain]

Hahaha, exactly!!

Or am I someone who likes to slow down to look at a roadside accident eh?

[vagrom]

I submit. Three quarks for Muster Mark .

[lefroy]

No further details on the Federation rescue?

Someone slipped and hurt themselves not enough?

It's more interesting than hearing about helicopters. An injury on Fedder is way better reading