A walker has taken a fall that has left her immobilised with two injured ankles (one of which is broken), while stuck in dense bushland and surrounded by hazardous terrain.
To top it off, it’s teetering on the edge of nightfall when the woman, Lisa Hugo, injures herself while on Sydney’s Great North Walk in Pennant Hills.
It’s a tricky rescue situation that poses a number of challenges for emergency services crews – but it’s also a great example of one that highlights how co-ordinated, efficient and comforting those crews are when tasked with something like this.
Just ask Lisa, who couldn’t be more appreciative for the efforts of those involved in her rescue. “The level of communication between all first responders was truly amazing,” she said.
“Every step was thoroughly calculated and all crews were completely across what was to happen next. “There was not one stone left unturned and right throughout the rescue I was made to feel comfortable and calm. “I’m here to tell the story and I’m very blessed.”
That story began with Lisa and her kids out for a walk with her neighbour, Ian Oades, and his kids.
After stepping down from a rock, Lisa misplaced her footing and sprained her left ankle, while also breaking her right ankle in three places and dislocating it as well. Ian then dialled Triple Zero (000), which led to NSW Ambulance paramedics (an ECP, ICPs and SOT members), Fire and Rescue NSW, and NSW Rural Fire Service personnel attending.
After having to manoeuvre their way down a steep slope to reach Lisa, the crews then worked together to administer pain relief to her.
Teams of eight then took rotations in stretchering her out of the bush while navigating their way through hazards such as fallen trees, tall rock faces and narrow trails which offered barely enough space for one person, let alone a patient on a stretcher with people either side of it.
As for the darkness, fire crews helped set up a trail of lighting to assist with the hour-long extrication.
Chief Inspector Darren Hoschke, of the Central Coast and Northern Sydney Sector, was on the scene for the rescue and said it was a great example of different emergency service personnel working together to achieve the one goal: getting Lisa to safety.
“It was a multi-disciplinary approach that required utilising Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Rural Fire Service, and a NSW Ambulance Special Operations Team, along with other ambulance paramedics.
“One of those was an Extended Care Paramedic who applied a back slab to her fractured ankle, which stabilised her for extrication.”
By the time the operation commenced, Lisa’s husband Laurence had arrived to watch it unfold. Like Lisa, he too was in awe of the efforts of those involved.
“They were the consummate professionals,” he said.
“I was completely calmed by their presence and knew Lisa was in good hands.”
Lisa is still recovering from her injuries, but she and Laurence are both thankful to her rescuers for ensuring her outcome wasn’t worse.
“They all deserve an award in our opinion,” she said.