West Australian Offshore Medivac Service...???

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

 

Just wanting to comment on the Offshore Medivac service here in West Australia

out of place called Karratha.

 

Recently our vessel had reason to call for an emergency medevac for a leg

injury.

 

The ship was 95 miles offshore and on crew change the flight was 50 minutes.

 

First response helicopter company found their standby helcopter failed to

function...? So  back up helicopter centre called, all details given and request

for immediate medevac....5 hours later medevac was accomplished...5 hours...!

 

However it gets better as they are now trying to blame the ship for their

dismal performance and claiming there was a delay in their receiving information

they had requested re the injury....the information they had wanted, in order to

respond to the emergency, was a photograph of the injury.....( I kid you not...)

 

Now once this was pressed by the MRCC and in order to get the casualty to

hospital then taking this photo may have taken a few minutes while the dressings

to the wound, suppressing bleeding and supporting the injury, were removed

causing pain and distress to the casualty, then a photo taken and sent and the

injury redressed and further medication given to the casualty....but it did not

take 5 hours to do this....a photo...?

 

My assessment is that these people are so busy writing up endless lists of

insane regulations against the passengers to cover their arses for anything, IE

no water, no books with hard covers, no luggage with wheels or hard luggage ( in

the cargo compartment?), no cameras, no kindles, no mobiles on/off, no shorts,

long sleeve shirts, no lighters, no cigarettes etc etc then the 'security

checks' and march behind me stuff, that they have lost sight of what they are

supposed to be doing...flying the damn air taxis and ambulances...!

 

If this is the best they can do then we are in trouble here and had the injury

been slightly more severe or a medical/cardiac emergency then it would have

ended badly.

 

I am wondering what would have happened had there been no camera available...and

also what exactly was the photo for and what did it achieve...apparently other

than to let us know that we have to play these pathetic, dangerous games and who

was in charge ?

 

Does anyone know of any independent bush pilots in the area who know what flying

helicopters is about ?

 

P