M.I.A.

[BarryJ]

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't been very active on the board for the last few days.

I have been camping in the Highlands and participating in the Devonport Fly Fishing Club's annual Fly Fishing School (as an instructor/organiser):
http://www.devonportflyfishingclub.net.au/Bronte.aspx

The school ran for about five days from Sunday (10th) afternoon until Friday morning (15th) but I headed up early to help with setting up (and also get a bit of fishing time in, of course). On the final Friday afternoon, I headed to the Club shack for another couple of nights, just to get in a bit of fishing but because the weather was crap, only got about four hours fishing in.

Home for the few days of the School:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a106/BarryJ49/photo-1.jpg


And my front yard:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a106/BarryJ49/photo-2.jpg


The School went pretty well apart from one incident (see the next post). When I get time, I will also post a few shots taken during the School. We had 31 first year students and 25 returnees participating on the camp; by the time you add in instructors and family and friends , we had a total of 125 people (give or take a couple) sign in over the period of the course.

[BarryJ]

Rather a trying day on the Wednesday of the FF School!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The day started of OK with a visit from Neil & Nicole Grose (one of our local gurus & a fishing magazine editor to boot) but it went rapidly down hill from there. Neil reported that it was "blowing its tits off" on Great Lake and shortly after, the wind hit us at Bronte. We extended the lunch break to enable campers to hold their tents together and most survived intact although a coupple suffered some minor damage, luckily on non essential items (tarps being used for shade etc).

Just as we were getting the tent situation under control, one of our instructors complained of chest pains; wasn't sure whether it was a heart problem or related to lung clots in his lung (he had a clot in the lung a couple of months back). Grabbed our Emergency Plan with site location details etc & called 000. Received some basic info re handling the patient which I relayed to our first aiders (they were pretty much doing it already). Despatched a guy out to the turn-off to make sure the ambulance knew where to go.

About 10 mins later, received a call from the Ambulance Service and was asked a few questions about his condition. When she determined he was reasonably lucid, she asked to speak to him and went through the usual pain assessment questions etc.

A further 10 mins later, received another call from the Ambulance Service informing me that units had been despatched to site from Bronte Park and Wayatinah and also that a third unit was on its way from Hobart to meet them on the way back to Hobart (sent a a second guy out to the highway turn-off to guide the second unit in). I was patched through to the Bronte Park unit and after a quick chat, she knew exactly where we were and arrived on site 28 mins after our initial call. She jumped out of the vehicle, asked where the patient was and as she was walking into the annex on his van was telling us to bring her orange bag and oxy bottle. She immediately started him on the oxy and then began assessing his condition; I headed outside as there wasn't any need for me to be there.

The second unit from Wayatinah arrived about 5 mins later and the two ambos then discussed whether they would prepare him for a road trip back to Hobart or call in the helicopter. They decided to go with the road trip so we had to get him out of the van; discovered that vans aren't really designed to allow easy removal of 115kg guys who are in severe pain. We got him in the ambulance reasonably OK and he headed off. Spent the next couple of hours on and off the phone to his daughter in Burnie answering questions about location of wallets & phones, finding out just which hospital he was going to, what was going to happen with his van (we are going to pack it up and take it back down to Devonport etc).

Received word about 7:30PM that he was reasonably comfortable in hospital in Hobart and that he was being treated for a blood clot in the lung. Later again, we found out that the problem was identified (after tests etc) as a torn chest muscle, probably caused by struggling to hold down tents in gale force winds,

After that, I decided it was "red time". The end of another day in the office.

[Zutta]

Glad to hear he is fine though mate :)

Quite a drama filled few days by the sounds of it shock

[BarryJ]

It certainly was a tough day but it was also good to find that our disaster plan stood up when finally needed. Our initial debrief indicates a couple of minor tweaks are probably needed but it worked.

Also, the guy survived the ordeal, so that was a great outcome.

[jelifish]

Yes, it is always good when the plan works. Always worried that even though you would like to think you are well prepared until it happens you don't know. Pleased that it all worked out okay
Jelifish

[Doug]

Glad to hear that the Tassie paramedics know what they're doing. The ones here in Qld (especially the very tip of FNQ) are pretty dodgy.(whistle)(whistle)(whistle)

[mitch]

Good to hear all worked out ok, have had the experience of having to be first to be nearby when something happens and its never good, though mine was nowhere near as bad as yours. Good to hear the plan worked.

[BarryJ]

Glad to hear that the Tassie paramedics know what they're doing. The ones here in Qld (especially the very tip of FNQ) are pretty dodgy.(whistle)(whistle)(whistle)
I have just received an update on the incident. I was not aware of this until now but the report below came from the patient (my earlier info was in part from a family member who was receiving progress reports by phone and relaying them to me):

The paramedic from Hobart met the ambos at Tarraleah and then put in an immediate call to Hobart for the rescue helicopter which met them at Wayatinah and transferred him to the RHH. He scared the life out of the patient cos the paramedic said "this man is not going to make it if we don’t use the helicopter". The problem WAS a blood clot in the lungs which caused the heart to go into overdrive, there was also a muscle problem but that was not the issue. He was not to do anything when he left the Burnie hospital 3 weeks ago but it got lost in the translation somewhere. It was caused by the fishing the night before (waving his arms around and the holding of the tent ropes). Anyway all is well now if he takes it easy for 6 months. Not even allowed to sit on his ride on mower.

[Dave]

Glad to hear that the Tassie paramedics know what they're doing. The ones here in Qld (especially the very tip of FNQ) are pretty dodgy.(whistle)(whistle)(whistle)

mmm.... Revenge is a dish best served cold... cleaner yippy