Hastings emergency services crews displayed skill and care in cliff rescue

Police, Ambulance NSW and the State Emergency Service, many of who are volunteers, sacrificed their own safety on the edge of the cliff to not only retrieve the man, but to stay with him and provide comfort throughout the ordeal.

The delicate retrieval of the 64-year-old Port Macquarie man took more than three and a half hours.

He had a compound fracture of the leg, head lacerations, a fractured hand and other injuries. He remains in a stable condition at Port Macquarie Base Hospital.

Port Macquarie State Emergency Service is the primary response unit for vertical rescue within the Port Macquarie area and was called to the scene at 9am on Monday, July 17.

“From the initial information provided we realised that this had the potential to be a delicate rescue procedure,” explained Port Macquarie-Hastings SES Deputy controller Michael Ward.

“I responded with Michael Brumby (Port Macquarie SES Training Officer and Vertical Rescue Trainer and Assessor) to assess the scene and ensure that we provided the correct response.”

The rescue involved deploying Mr Brumby as first responder to gain access to the gentleman who had fallen, assessing his injuries and providing details on the requirements for extrication.

Prior to that, police and paramedics used creativity to deliver pain relief to the man when they arrived, connecting a Penthrox inhaler to fishing line and lowering it to him.

“Based on the extent of the injuries received and the need for the Westpac ambulance officer to provide additional treatment and pain relief prior to packaging him into a stretcher, the time was taken to setup a Larkin Frame to manage the cliff edge,” Mr Ward said.

“The Larkin Frame is a haul system that enabled the gentleman to be transported horizontally in a stretcher back up the cliff face before being carried back to the car park and to the ambulance.

“Additional time was taken to minimise the stretcher contact with the cliff face as given the gentleman’s injuries any contact caused additional discomfort.”

The members of the SES train every Wednesday evening, with the training based on realistic scenarios.

“Our rescue operators - for vertical rescue, road crash rescue and flood rescue - undertake significant training in addition to our weekly training sessions,” Mr Ward said.

“For example, it takes approximately 40 hours of training for our members to complete the Vertical Rescue Qualification and in addition to this regular training is undertaken to ensure our members are current, competent and confident to undertake our rescue roles.

“Each rescue operator undertakes approximately 24 hours of ongoing training each year in these specialist roles. I have long held the motto to train hard and rescue easy.”

Last year, Port Macquarie SES members undertook an upskill for their rescue operators after some changes to the vertical rescue procedures and a substantial investment in additional equipment.

“This equipment and techniques were utilised in the rescue at Lighthouse,” Mr Ward said. 

“It was a pleasure to work with all the emergency services that were on site for the rescue.

“There was seamless integration between Police, Ambulance, SES, Surf Life Saving and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter with all personnel working together to ensure the best outcome for the injured gentleman.”