SAR combined exercise

[Spikepretorius]

We did some training over the last weekend in the mountains near Cape Town. It was an opportunity for many organisations to work together and learn a bit of each others disciplines.

We got hit by a major storm on the saturday night. The chopper pilots deserved a medal. I was abseiling down a cliff in the dark when the gale started blowing me around :smilies27

Here's some fodies. They basically comprise chopper drills in good weather day 1 and indoor stretcher training day 2. No fodies of the actual rescue exercise
http://picasaweb.google.com/stefansmeda/2008WSARWeekend#

Waiting for a chopper on top of a mountain. Yours truly 3rd left
http://lh5.ggpht.com/stefansmeda/SM1CskHB9rI/AAAAAAAAAcg/mlfjq2OEEN8/s640/DSC_0053.JPG

[BriansFJ]

Sounds cool:bowdown: What kind of helos?

[Spikepretorius]

The chopper is an Oryx.
Here's a clip from an airshow two years ago.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3299285123462408681

Coincidently the 2008 airshow is taking place this weekend and the skies are full of guys practicing all day every day. I live a few clicks from the airfield

[BriansFJ]

The chopper is an Oryx.
Here's a clip from an airshow two years ago.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3299285123462408681

Coincidently the 2008 airshow is taking place this weekend and the skies are full of guys practicing all day every day. I live a few clicks from the airfield

Thanks for the video!:cool:

[DarkHelmet]

We did some stretcher (litter/basker) training last night at our monthly training meeting. We incorporated some medical scenarios into the mix to keep our EMT staff on their toes.

As for helicopters... They seem to be drawn to me and the missions I go on. I'm OK with that because I love flying on them.

In 1999 - my first hoist operation outside Seattle, WA for someone who had fallen to the bottom of a waterfall.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/resqman2398/helo1.jpg

Same waterfall a few years later. This helo had a longer cable.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/resqman2398/helo2.jpg

Same waterfall again. This time a ground evac as no helo was available. We had to cross the river down lower. This waterfall seems to be an idiot magnet.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/resqman2398/highline.jpg

Heading to the bird to retrieve a horseback rider in the backcountry of Idaho. The rider was thrown from his horse and suffered severe internal injuries.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/resqman2398/helo3.jpg

St. Alphonsus Life Flight "Life Flight 77" on approach to pick up two snowmobile riders that spent three nights out. They were suffering moderate to severe hypothermia.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/resqman2398/helo4.jpg

I'm on the far right assisting our patient to the helo.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/resqman2398/helo5.jpg

And a little shot of some winter training from last year.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/resqman2398/iceclimb.jpg

- DH

[jeepmedic46]

Thanks for the pics and videos.:arabia: