RACQ CQ RESCUE Helicopter Service

18 hours of missions

January 16 2009

An action-packed eighteen hours was experienced by the RACQ – CQ RESCUE crew beginning a 2.30pm yesterday afternoon when they were dispatched to Strathfield Station west of Nebo.

A 70 year old man who was riding a quad bike when he rode into a three-strand barbed wire fence, had the flesh on both arms stripped to the bone between his shoulders and elbows.

CQ RESCUE doctor on board the helicopter Mark Measday said, “A mines rescue team from nearby South Walker Creek Mine was already on scene when we arrived and they had done an excellent job of administering basic first aid.”

The man who was a resident of a neighbouring property spent several hours in surgery as an Orthopedic team at Mackay Base Hospital endeavoured to repair his damaged arms. By 1am this morning surgery was complete and although the patient sustained some nerve and muscle damage in the accident he remains in a stable condition.

Just prior to the CQ RESCUE crew landing back at the Mackay Airport, they were advised of a task to Cedar Creek Falls near Airlie Beach.

An 18 year old woman from Jubilee Pocket fell 30 metres at the falls sustaining suspected spinal injuries, head injuries and fractures to her hand.

Initially the crew was tasked to winch the woman from the falls however a low cloud base prevented this. The weather conditions were noted by ambulance officers on scene who pre-empted the possibility of the helicopter being unable to winch or land in the conditions at the time.

She was transported by road ambulance to the Proserpine Hospital helipad where she was met by the CQ RESCUE crew and transported to Mackay Base Hospital arriving just after 7pm.

At 2am this morning another task was accepted to fly to Moranbah where a 27 year old woman was in advanced stages of premature labour.

RACQ CQ RESCUE Crewman Darren Bobin said, “The woman was 34 weeks pregnant and was experiencing contractions every 2 minutes during the flight to Mackay. Taking into account the stage of the woman’s pregnancy the preferred outcome was to get the woman to hospital in Mackay in time for her to deliver the baby.”

Since arriving at Mackay Base Hospital just after 4am this morning, the woman has given birth to a baby boy.

The shift was almost at the end for Pilot Dave Hogan and Crewman Darren Bobin when they received another call-out.

A 25 year old Ilbilbie man suffered severe head injuries when he was thrown from the back of a utility at Ilbilbie.

The CQ RESCUE helicopter arrived on scene at 7.16am. Conditions at the scene of the accident prevented the helicopter crew from administering sedatives to the patient and a decision was made to transfer the patient by road to Sarina Hospital.

The patient was accompanied in the ambulance by the RACQ CQ RESCUE paramedic, sedated at Sarina Hospital and transferred to Mackay Base Hospital.

Once further examination is completed in Mackay the patient may be transferred to Townsville for specialized treatment if necessary.