Aeromedical provider LifeFlight is expanding its emergency rescue helicopter network beyond Queensland as it secures contracts with commercial and government operators.
LifeFlight crew recently attended two missions on Western Australia’s red soil with remote rescues in the Tanami Desert and Dalmanyi (Bell Gorge).
The first involved a complex multi-agency mission that saw multiple assets involved to safely airlift a male motorbike rider to hospital.
The special mission AW139 helicopter was tasked to retrieve the patient in the Tanami Desert, located across Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Due to its remote location, the aeromedical team landed twice to refuel during the more than 1000km journey to the incident.
The first refuel stop was at Fitzroy Crossing while the second required the assistance of another aircraft.
A squirrel helicopter flew 130km into the desert to deliver three drums of fuel near Lake Ronnel enabling LifeFlight to extend the special mission helicopter’s flying range.
The rescue chopper arrived at the incident and the patient was treated by LifeFlight critical care Doctor Meghan Beere and senior flight paramedic Aaron Hartle.
“He had a suspected spinal injury which added to the complexity of the mission as we had to be careful moving him,” Dr Beere said.
LifeFlight aircrew officer Chris Jowsey said the rescue was a multi-agency effort.
“It was complex, and a lot of different agencies had to work together from different states to make it a good outcome for the patient,” he said.
The man was airlifted to Fitzroy Crossing and transferred to Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS) who flew him to Broome Hospital for further treatment.
Back out in Western Australia’s spinifex studded scenery came the second mission at Dalmanyi in the Wunaamin Miliwundi Range Conservation Park.
A woman was bitten by a snake on a walking track 300kms from the nearest town and required medical transport to Derby hospital.
“Another person on the track happened to be a doctor and they applied a pressure immobilisation bandage after she was bitten,” Dr Beere said.
Due to the rocky terrain, a senior flight paramedic was winched down to retrieve the patient and take her back into the aircraft.
“We estimated for a road response, it would have been a seven hour return trip via ambulance,” said Dr Beere.
LifeFlight was also tasked recently to support flood relief efforts with NSW SES on the mid north coast.
