Hazard Reduction Burning

Throughout the week, Fire and Rescue NSW in partnership with Port Stephens Council took advantage of favourable weather conditions to conduct hazard reduction burning at Anzac Park in Shoal Bay.

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Chimney Checks

NSW Rural Fire Service wishes to remind all residents to check the state of chimneys.

Incomplete combustion creates creosote in the chimney, which, if left to accumulate, can block the chimney, and ignite.

Remember to have your chimney checked and cleaned regularly.

Salt Ash Crash

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked by NSW Ambulance at 4:40am on the morning of 19 April as a response to a serious single vehicle motor vehicle accident in Salt Ash.

The vehicle travelled through a ditch before becoming airborne when it hit the drainage.

The vehicle at the time had unauthorised number plates affixed and was unregistered and uninsured and the male driver was disqualified and was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

The driver was trapped in the wreckage and nearby residents and a passer-by removed him from the vehicle and administered first aid.

NSW Ambulance Paramedics arrived on scene and carried out initial treatment on the 21-year-old male driver before the arrival of the helicopter and Helicopter Critical Care Medical Team.

The young man was released from the vehicle suffering serious spinal injuries and was further stabilised prior to being airlifted directly to Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney in a serious condition for further specialist medical treatment.

SES Training

Rescue Operators from NSW SES Port Stephens undertook a skills exercise involving a scenario with a bus and a mannequin as part of their training this week.

As part of the scenario, crews worked together to stabilise the bus and lift in up to extricate the entrapped from underneath.

Crews worked to free the casualty by using cribbing blocks to stabilise the bus to avoid any further pressure on the casualty and using high pressure airbags to perform a controlled lift the front of the bus, whilst at the same time supporting the suspended load using timber cribbing blocks.

This training provided a refresher on valuable skills including casualty care, trauma management, heavy vehicle stabilisation, identification of lifting points, use of dual airbags, lifting calls/communication, cribbing as you lift and casualty handling.

Police Farewell

On 22 April, Port Stephens Hunter Police District joined together to wish Senior Constable Hannah Wynne in the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) a goodbye.

Hannah joined the NSWPF in 2009.

She has been stationed at Northern Beaches, Prosecutions Command and has worked in the Port Stephens Hunter Police District since 2013.

Hannah is a dedicated officer who is popular with her colleagues and a great role model for junior police and gave tremendous service for over thirteen years.

Hannah is moving to the USA with her family, including her husband David Wynne, who is also a serving police officer as a dog handler with the Dog Unit.

Hannah received a number of awards to bid her farewell including the NSW Police Medal, Commissioner’s Emergency Commendation and Port Stephens-Hunter Challenge Coin.

Clarence Town Fire

In the early hours of Monday 18 April Emergency Services responded to a report of a fire at a weatherboard house in Clarence Town and on arrival the house was found to be well alight and destroyed.

Numerous RFS and retained NSWFR crews were in attendance.

The house, believed to contain asbestos, hampered efforts to manage the fire and to inspect the property.

A crime scene was established, with Port Stephens-Hunter District Detectives continuing investigations.

Marine Rescue

On 20 April Marine Rescue assisted an eleven-metre sail mono that was having engine issues 4nm east of Port Stephens heads.

The crew worked quickly to make their way to the distressed vessel and once on scene, through quick line work, they soon had the vessel under tow.

By Tara CAMPBELL