NavShield 2008
NavShield is an annual 29 hour navigation competition open to all emergency services involved in Search and Rescue activities. Competitors attempt to gain as many points as possible by finding their way on foot to pre-set checkpoints. It is a great opportunity for Rescue and SCAT Officers to test their bush skills and compass navigation abilities in an overnight event through wilderness terrain.
This year the event was held in a 100 square kilometre section of the Morton National Park near Nerriga in the Shoalhaven District and attracted over 90 teams from across Australia. Very thick vegetation on parts of the course and cold overnight temperatures (-4° C) provided the main challenges for teams this year. Despite the hardships, all participants reported that they had a good time and felt more confident in their day and night navigation skills for having participated in the event.
This year some 36 paramedics were involved with three SCAT, two Rescue and two paramedic (Shoalhaven) teams. ‘SCAT Team 1’ won the Ambulance Section finishing 4th overall followed by ‘Shoalhaven Ambulance Team 1’ which came in 5th overall. Typically, all the Ambulance teams covered between 45 to 70 kilometres during the event.
Special mention must go to Flight Nurse Greg Mitchell who was a member of Shoalhaven SES Team 1 which were the overall winners of ‘Navshield 2008’. SCAT Paramedics Paul Thompson, Dave Zidds, Bryan Jordan and Marty Pearce also received awards for their 5th year of attendance at the event. It was also good to see Jason Watson, the oldest man ever to complete a SCAT Course, celebrate his 18th event!
Photograph: Ambulance participants in the Navshield 2008 event.
Ambulance is committed to assisting the community create safer and healthier environments and outcomes by making prevention everyone’s businesses. A number of innovative community education programs have been implemented to assist identify life threatening conditions, understand what to do in an emergency and the importance of adopting illness prevention strategies.