May 29, 2012
Last night’s emergency landing of a rescue helicopter at Cooroy has led for a call for night vision equipment to be installed aboard all emergency rescue aircraft.
The Brisbane-based EMQ Rescue helicopter was conducting a medical transfer from Bundaberg Base Hospital to the Royal Brisbane Hospital when the crew were alerted to a possible mechanical issue.
They followed procedures and made an emergency landing on the Cooroy Football Club oval about 1:15am.
Fortunately no one was injured and the patient was transferred by road ambulance to Maroochydore and then by the AGL Action Rescue Helicopter to the Royal Brisbane.
An AGL helicopter spokesman said today the EMQ Rescue 500 used its night vision goggle capability to make the emergency landing.
“Unfortunately sometimes things go wrong and we were just fortunate to be available to support the Rescue 500 service by taking their patient to Royal Brisbane Hospital last night,” AGL Action Rescue Helicopter CEO David Donaldson said.
“Rescue 500 were very fortunate to have night vision capabilities as many community rescue helicopter providers in the State – including our service – do not have them due to the expense of their implementation.
“Incidents like this further support our need for the State Government to fund the inclusion of night vision goggle capabilities on all aeromedical emergency rescue aircraft in the State, not only for the safety of our pilots, crewman, critical care doctors and intensive care paramedics but the safety of the patients we transport.”
