A Station Leader goes over the edge and a birthday is celebrated

Tying ourselves in knots, bends and hitches

An important part of station life is learning essential field techniques for responding to emergency incidents as a small team. This week our search and rescue training (facilitated by Billy, Senior Field Training Officer) focused on learning the rigging systems for raising and lowering a rescue stretcher on a slope.

Following a refresher in knotcraft (and a reminder that “if it’s not a bend or a hitch then it’s a knot”) and kitting out with personal safety gear, we set off to practice our techniques on nearby slopes.

As you can see from the photos the team did a brilliant job of safely setting up the rigging systems and retrieving and transporting a stretcher patient to safety on two different slopes. It was also great fun for the Station Leader who went over the edge twice!

Kat (Station Leader) 

Five people are looking over the edge of a platform as two people tie knots to a structure
Six people stand in tussock grass on a slope with a rigging system in place
4 people guide the ropes as an attendant holds on to a stretcher
5 people are getting ropes ready to set up a rescue rigging system
a man in a blue helmet prepares a patient in a stretcher in a grassy slope

Want to live and work in Antarctica? Sign up for our expressions of interest mailing list to be the first to know when jobs in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic open.

Happy Birthday Stella!

This week Ranger Stella celebrated a special birthday on station with all of the key elements for a momentous birthday– her favourite meal, cake, a “Macca through the Ages” themed party and bonus outdoor spa bath.

Chef Kerryn’s creative cake decorating excelled with a Macquarie Island themed cake — each elephant seal and penguin had a unique personality, and the cake was delicious too. 

A round birthday cake is surrounded by penguins and elephant seals
A woman sits in front of the penguin and seal themed birthday cake
a group of people in fancy dress pose for a group photo
a woman wears a black dress wrapped in black kelp and a red scarf

Want to live and work in Antarctica? Sign up for our expressions of interest mailing list to be the first to know when jobs in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic open.

on