It's a cliff hanger...
“He has fallen and hurt his knee, can’t walk and he’s definitely pretty cold” rings through the Casey Station radio. What has transpired in the days before is a test for the SAR (Search and Rescue) team orchestrated by Station Leadership to see just how well we can respond. On a hill on the Bailey Peninsula, our Wilkins Dieso had taken off for a “run” only to have some ill footing – he is nowhere to be seen and has completely abandoned the safety net we rely on (albeit deliberately).
Our SAR team springs into action, set into motion with our SAR theme song – Enya's Only Time. Armed with Pit Vipers, quad bikes, radios, first aid kits and our new skills we head out to collect our 'patient'. Our SAR team, eight people with different skillsets and backgrounds, trained by Casey’s Stations finest summer Field Training Officers (FTOs), and lead by our formidable French SFTO, Arno. We didn’t come equipped with the skills but we definitely learnt them along the way from consummate professionals.
A day of hanging off a rope overlooking Penny Bay - the basics of rope rescue, rock rope rescue systems on Reeves Hill, quad bike training and simulations on the Mitchell Peninsula, medical training with our Docs in field huts – the scenery provides dramatic backdrops but a constant reminder that Antarctica can be an unforgiving environment – and our Winter SAR team - expeditioners thrown together learning skills we hope we never have to use. Our Wilkins Dieso got to see our skills in full force through patient stabilisation, to caterpillar carrying him in a stretcher across rock and snow – hoisting him into a Hagg and handover at surgery with our capable lay surgical assistance (LSA) team. The SAR team full of high fives and smiles knowing what we achieved and taking comfort in knowing that Casey Station is in safe hands.
Needless to say, our Diva Dieso was back up and walking in five minutes with a detailed prescription of hot tea and Whittakers chocolate to recover from his injuries. SAR complete.
Cliffy
Station Supply Officer
