Helicopter Rescues in Tasmania "2"

[CBee]

The problem is understanding that the weather can be lethal

The weather can be lethal anywhere. People attempt to cross flooded creeks all the time, venture in places where they are exposed and require rescue, is just not the OLT.

Perhaps an insurance option, if you cannot start due to weather a refund of costs? Is there such a travel policy?

Not sure about insurance policy, but I have personally been refunded in the past for bailing due bad weather. In QLD. A big storm was going to hit and I asked and obtained full refund of NP passes and camping fees, for a large group.
Since the people who charge for the walk, tell you to bail if weather is bad, they also should be liable for reimbursement.

[Warin]

Perhaps an insurance option, if you cannot start due to weather a refund of costs? Is there such a travel policy?

Not sure about insurance policy, but I have personally been refunded in the past for bailing due bad weather. In QLD. A big storm was going to hit and I asked and obtained full refund of NP passes and camping fees, for a large group.
Since the people who charge for the walk, tell you to bail if weather is bad, they also should be liable for reimbursement.

For the OT, people pay airfares, accommodation, transport .. would 'travel insurance' cover at least some of those costs if you had to bail on the day of starting the walk?

[CBee]

would 'travel insurance' cover at least some of those costs if you had to bail on the day of starting the walk?

I doubt insurance would pay if you decide to bail. They could pay only if rangers close the track or national park officially.

[Warin]

would 'travel insurance' cover at least some of those costs if you had to bail on the day of starting the walk?

I doubt insurance would pay if you decide to bail. They could pay only if rangers close the track or national park officially.

And that would place the responsibility for people being there back onto the rangers.

[Hot073]

Some of the crap being sprouted on that Facebook group “Overland Track Tasmania” by the bleeding hearts is basically telling people it’s ok to push the button if you get a bit cold or get a blister!
No one has to take responsibility for themselves these days!

[CBee]

No one has to take responsibility for themselves these days!

They'll soon going to charge for rescue. PLB are relatively cheap to buy or rent nowadays and with the numbers going to increase in the outdoor also will increase the number of deploys. Population is only getting softer. But I think is fair to pay to be choppered out anyway, as we would pay big $ for our car to be towed out of remote places such the Simpson Desert, etc. I'd personally be more than happy to pay if I was stranded in the middle of the SW with a broken leg or a snake bite. After all it is my choice to venture to remote and dangerous places and I do so for fun.

[L_Cham_67]

Some of the crap being sprouted on that Facebook group “Overland Track Tasmania” by the bleeding hearts is basically telling people it’s ok to push the button if you get a bit cold or get a blister!
No one has to take responsibility for themselves these days!

Just had a browse through that thread after your post here. Bit of an exaggeration surely? No one mentioned anything about it being okay to push the button if you got cold or got a blister. That entire thread became pretty ugly as well with some people having a go at others and their families. Doesn't social media just bring out the best in us?!

But it is an intriguing debate. I do believe it was quite irresponsible to set out in conditions like that with a toddler. But we should be thankful they had a PLB and (eventually) realised that travelling any further was out of the question. Reminds me a lot of that now closed thread on this forum about the trip up the New River...

[pazzar]

No one has to take responsibility for themselves these days!

They'll soon going to charge for rescue. PLB are relatively cheap to buy or rent nowadays and with the numbers going to increase in the outdoor also will increase the number of deploys. Population is only getting softer. But I think is fair to pay to be choppered out anyway, as we would pay big $ for our car to be towed out of remote places such the Simpson Desert, etc. I'd personally be more than happy to pay if I was stranded in the middle of the SW with a broken leg or a snake bite. After all it is my choice to venture to remote and dangerous places and I do so for fun.

Paying for a rescue? No thanks. No one plans to get hurt while out in the bush, just like no one plans to have an accident when they drive a car. If we start paying for rescues, where is the line drawn? Do we start paying for ambulances too? We actually already pay for it with out taxes, and I'm quite happy for it to stay that way!

[CBee]

Paying for a rescue? No thanks. No one plans to get hurt while out in the bush, just like no one plans to have an accident when they drive a car. If we start paying for rescues, where is the line drawn? Do we start paying for ambulances too? We actually already pay for it with out taxes, and I'm quite happy for it to stay that way!

Yes I see your point, but still I find hard to compare an ambulance attending a car crash and a chopper going to pick up a hiker that decided to deploy a PLB for a silly reason.

[north-north-west]

Silly reason is one thing. But even if there were a practical way to get at least a nominal payment out of people who set off a PLB for frivolous reason, payment will discourage people from setting them off in time or possibly at all, and that will lead to more fatalities. It depends on whether you think the cost is more bearable in public funds or human lives.

[CBee]

It depends on whether you think the cost is more bearable in public funds or human lives.

Yeah, is not really important what I think anyway. Then, I don't have a problem if choppers are going to pick up people on the OT or anywhere else. I just feel that the increase on numbers of people in the outdoor and the availability of communication devices working in remote areas, will subsequently increase number of rescues and calls, so this will be managed in a different way and probably a fee charged. My 2c obviously.

[Hot073]

Some of the crap being sprouted on that Facebook group “Overland Track Tasmania” by the bleeding hearts is basically telling people it’s ok to push the button if you get a bit cold or get a blister!
No one has to take responsibility for themselves these days!

Just had a browse through that thread after your post here. Bit of an exaggeration surely? No one mentioned anything about it being okay to push the button if you got cold or got a blister. That entire thread became pretty ugly as well with some people having a go at others and their families. Doesn't social media just bring out the best in us?!

But it is an intriguing debate. I do believe it was quite irresponsible to set out in conditions like that with a toddler. But we should be thankful they had a PLB and (eventually) realised that travelling any further was out of the question. Reminds me a lot of that now closed thread on this forum about the trip up the New River...

[Overlandman]

Story from ABC

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-12- ... a/11776702

[Overlandman]

A bushwalker was rescued from the Melaleuca area late yesterday.
If anyone has further details please post.
Regards OLM

[TentPeg]

I was in the Southern Ranges on Monday. A couple of helicopters were buzzing around. One landed close to Ooze Lake around 1pm.

[stepbystep]

I was in the Southern Ranges on Monday. A couple of helicopters were buzzing around. One landed close to Ooze Lake around 1pm.

Rescue chopper or another chopper?

[TentPeg]

It was a long way away.

[north-north-west]

It was a long way away.

The red and yellow is obvious from a considerable distance.

[TentPeg]

I'm sure there is some reason for that comment. Nothing comes to mind though.

[stepbystep]

Hi. I was asking if it was the rescue chopper because from multiple reports tourist choppers are making landings in strange places within the twwha. I’m trying to get me head around what’s going on. If you couldn’t tell, all good.

Rescue chopper was seen whipping down the wars coast of Maria yesterday, didn’t look like it was on a mission.

[TentPeg]

Yep. The sea mist was in so we couldn't see south east. It sounded like a chopper working in the Cockle Creek area but could'nt see it or get good bearings.

The one that landed near Ooze took off at pace towards Hobart when it came back up. Visibility wasn't good from that distance so couldn't pick the colour. There was a group of walkers heading that way which suggests a rescue of some sort.

[Nuts]

There have been some exercises in proactive fire/ from lightning spotting recently involving a bunch of choppers. I'm not sure where I heard about it and a quick search didn't reveal.

I'd imagine/hope they'll be busy (and as much so that it's not another tourism brain fade). Stay safe bushwalkers of Tasmania.

[Overlandman]

One from yesterday
From ABC

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-24/ ... 0/11895466

Man rescued from Collins Cap

An 81-year-old man has been rescued after getting lost while walking on Collins Cap near Collinsvale in Tasmania's south yesterday evening.

The man had reached the summit and was walking back when he found himself in thick vegetation he couldn't get through, so called police.

Paramedics aboard the rescue helicopter found the man was cold but uninjured.

He was taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital for observation.

Police reminded bushwalkers to carry personal locator beacons, even on short day walks.

[Overlandman]

One from yesterday
Vigilante news

The Tasmania Police air wing have been busy with medivac searches this afternoon at Western Creek and another at Cape Pillar.
Police media statement on Western Creek incident: Approximately 4:30pm, Sunday 16th February 2020 Police Radio Dispatch Services (RDS) received a call by mobile phone from a 51 year old New Caledonian national female stating that she had been for a walk on Higgs Track, Western Creek but was now lost.
The female, who was visiting the state and on a day walk, had walked alone on Higgs track to Lady Lake Hut, then continued on, intending to walk towards Lake Nameless. She did not have a map with her and was only following the track, which at times is not well marked. After continuing for some time she decided to not venture any further due to lighting and not knowing exactly where she was and began the return journey. Shortly after commencing the return journey she realised that she was no longer on the track, was unable to locate it and subsequently made contact with police via her mobile phone seeking assistance.
Attempts were made to provide instructions to her to re locate the track however these proved unsuccesful.
Approximately 8:40pm The Westpac Rescue Helicopter located the female and landed nearby. The female was uninjured and flown to Deloraine.
Tasmania Police would like to again remind anyone intenting to conduct any bush walk to always be prepared and inform someone of their intended walking route.

[Birdman]

There were 2 rescues off the OT today. One involving a toddler. They would have done everything they could to reach the child if it were in danger.

Given the current conditioos and forecast, who takes an infant/toddler up onto the Cirque? That's just . . . no.

I do believe it was quite irresponsible to set out in conditions like that with a toddler. But we should be thankful they had a PLB and (eventually) realised that travelling any further was out of the question. Reminds me a lot of that now closed thread on this forum about the trip up the New River...

I hiked the Overland 6th - 12th Nov and these two ladies with toddler were in the same shuttle from Launceston to the Visitors Centre. When the shuttle picked them up, the other walkers in the shuttle were like WT *$&#! You cannot be serious! I think the child was less than a year old. How are you going to keep such a child warm if the weather gets rough??

Everybody knew the weather was going to be rough. In the shuttle on our way to the Overland Track we talked a lot about how bad it could be. On arrival at the Visitors Centre, the rangers spent a long time trying to talk the ladies with toddler out of it (I was next in the queue).

I didn't see them anymore after the start and even after I had climbed (most of) Cradle Mountain and back they still had not passed me, so my guess at the time was that they had finally changed their mind and taken the bus back to the Visitors Centre. Shortly after continuing my walk, the expected storm suddenly came in. It was very difficult to walk and terribly cold. Waterfall Valley Hut was closed, So I descended to Scott-Kilvert Hut. Almost everybody from the shutttle ended up there.

The next morning we started to climb up again and were met by a ranger who strongly advised us to return to the hut and sit out the storm, which we would have done anyway because of waist-deep snowdrift and 100 km/h gusts.
The ranger also told us that they had to send in 4 rangers to rescue the two ladies + toddler, who had pressed their PLB. Of course a helicopter couldn't fly in these conditions.

I thought the whole thing was ridiculous. What were these ladies thinking? It's none of my business of course, but that toddler had no say in it and 4 rangers had to put themselves at risk to rescue them!

[wildwanderer]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-27/ ... n/11998560

Sounds like she got stuck in the scrub and then became disorientated and exhausted. Tough time.

My only comment would be with the wellington ranger saying she packed perfectly. She was certainly well prepared with emergency equipment but perhaps light on the nav equipment?

Carrying a gps or phone offline navigation app would have likely avoided the disorientation and a expensive rescue. Map and compass can be used but require fairly high level of nav ability when using them as route finding tools in tough conditions and even then many people still double check with a gps from time to time. (From the article she had maps/tracknotes)

Not a criticism of the lost walker but more that the rangers should be emphasising that navigation tools are available that can prevent becoming lost. They did promote the emergency plus app which helps vector emergency services to you as long as you have phone coverage.. by phoning them the lat/long that is displayed. But that app is not a good choice for self resuce/position finding unless you can interpret the lat/long and pin point yourself on a paper map. (a skill not many have). (last I checked it didnt give grid references)

A PLB would also be good bit of kit to mention but only necessary if no phone coverage in the area.

[Hot073]

Agree,If she had Avenza or the like her problem would have been solved.Same with panicking because of fading light,she should have just holed up for the night and walk out in the morning when it’s cooler.

[eggs]

Back on 23rd Feb we walked in to New Pelion to find the Rescue chopper there.
Apparently a women descending towards Frog Flats was having mini stroke episodes and had to be evacuated.

[Overlandman]

From Tas Police Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Tas.Police/

A 28 year old woman has been rescued from the top of Frenchman’s Cap in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park overnight.
The Israeli national became disorientated while descending Frenchman’s Cap about 7.30pm. She subsequently contacted a friend via mobile phone who alerted police.
The woman was located near the summit of the mountain by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Tasmania crew, medically assessed and wasn't injured as a result of the incident..

[Overlandman]

Another Rescue last night from Vigilante News

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter is attending a medivac of injured patient at the Frenchman’s Cap in the states southwest.