Loading ...Originally written by AMI HUMPAGE
HUNDREDS of people,
including many from
Portland, gathered at the
Warrnambool airport
on Friday to welcome
the arrival of the longawaited
south-west air
ambulance helicopter.
After some 15 years of
lobbying by the people
of Portland and the
entire south-west corner
of Victoria, the dreams
of those who fought so
hard were realised as the
emergency helicopter
made its inaugural
flight from Essendon to
Warrnambool, landing at
the new air ambulance
facility it will call home.
Almost 500 people,
including Portland’s
Keith Meerbach
and Warrnambool’s
Dominique Fowler,
both of whom were
instrumental in the success
of the campaign, banded
together with a sense of
achievement on this proud
day to welcome the arrival
of the helicopter that will
begin servicing the southwest
of Victoria from 7am
on Wednesday.
Warrnambool-based Air
Ambulance Helicopter
Emergency Medical
Service 4 (HEMS4) team
manager Anthony de Wit
welcomed the crowd,
saying he was proud to be
the first team manager.
Ambulance Victoria chief
executive officer Greg
Sassella said it was good
to know the service was
here and available when
needed.
He said Air Ambulance
Victoria transferred
about 7000 people per
annum (between 2000
and 3000 of them by
helicopter), providing
access to specialist
hospitals in Melbourne to
the rural community, and
the new Warrnambool
service created statewide
coverage, with the other
helicopters based in
Gippsland, Essendon and
Bendigo.
The official launch and
opening was conducted
by Health Minister Daniel
Andrews, who admitted
it was a proud day for the
people of the South West
Coast area.
Mr Andrews said 180,000
people in the south-west
were now only one hour
from the trauma services
of some of the world’s best
hospitals in The Alfred,
Royal Melbourne and the
Royal Children’s.
“In medical emergencies,
this helicopter service
will allow critical cases
to be flown directly
from an incident site to
a major trauma centre in
Melbourne. The service
will also perform search
and rescue operations
requested by the Australian
Maritime Services
Authority.”
He said the new facility
also included a hangar and
purpose built storage areas
for parts and fittings vital
to the safe operation of the
helicopter; rest areas for
MICA flight paramedics
and pilots; an operational
flight planning area;
and rooms for meetings,
training and general
administrative duties.
Mr Andrews said the
Bell 412EP helicopter
could travel at 242km/
h, and could carry two
crew, two patients and
three attendants. It is also
equipped with a global
positioning system,
weather radar, searchlight,
and a rescue hoist.
“This service will save
lives and link more people
closer and more quickly
to the services they may
need.”
Mr Andrews said many
people had lobbied and
worked hard to ensure the
helicopter became a reality
in the south-west and,
in recognition of those
people, a garden would be
established at the airport.
Keith Meerbach, who
was a key figure in helping
to renew a south-west
campaign for the service,
travelled from his new
home of Ballarat to see the
helicopter finally arrive in
Warrnambool.
Mr Meerbach took up
the fight for the southwest
emergency helicopter
in August 2007 after his
sister-in-law, Carolyn
Meerbach, was hit by a car
near the Cliff St roundabout
in Portland, and had to
wait four hours before
she could be airlifted to
The Alfred Hospital for
emergency brain surgery.
He organised a petition that
was signed by more than
28,000 people, which was
presented to Parliament in
2008.
On Friday Mr Meerbach
said he was absolutely
happy the service had
finally come to fruition.
“In the beginning we
didn’t think it would
happen and there were a
few sceptics around, but the
government has delivered
on time, as promised.”
He said while he hoped
the service would not need
to be used a lot, it was
bound to save lives.
Glenelg Shire mayor
Geoff White said he was
also pleased to be there
to welcome the arrival of
the emergency helicopter
service.
“The council readily
supported the project and it
is great to see the sustained
effort of a large number of
people across the southwest
has been rewarded
with the establishment
of this long awaited and
much needed community
service.
“It will be a great help
to the people of the
south-west of Victoria in
emergency situations.”
THE crowd gathers at the new home of HEMS4 – Helicopter Emergency
Medical Service 4 – at the Warrnambool airport on Friday, and all
eyes turned skyward as the Bell 412EP helicopter flew in for the
official launch. More pictures: PAGE 8 Pictures: JOSH NASH 090626jn06
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