RickInOz

This is a slightly retrospective posting as the following events happened about a week ago.

As mentioned earlier I’m planning to join the local critical care retrieval service. We took a day out of the normal duty rota to do the orientation and induction session. This meant learning all of their procedures and a tour round parts of the hospital that most people never see like the rooftop helipad:

Then we went to the airport to have a safety and familiarity briefing on the helicopters we will be transporting patients in. They are fairly spacious inside, but I’m sure with 3 of us and a patient it may get a little cramped:

The last, and least pleasant part of the orientation was the HUET (Helicopter Underwater Escape Training). This is a simulation of what it’s like to ditch while out on a flight and have to get out while sinking towards the abyss. Fortunately it wasn’t too bad and we survived, but it was still a little scary to be strapped in a steel cage and dunked in the water while upside-down:

It was pretty cold and not much fun when the water ran up your nose. Fortunately we passed, so did the minimum number of ditchings. At least if it happens for real I will have some experience to rely on. The rest of the pictures of the day are here.

So now I can get up, up and away and start ferrying sick people round the state.