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'They thought they
would be okay'
Chopper airlifts stranded campers and dogs from flooded NSW campground
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FOUR campers and two dogs were airlifted
from a flooded campground near Moree in NSW.
The rescue helicopter crew was tasked to the area, west of Pallamallawa,
by the NSW State Emergency Service.
A man and woman, who were camping together, and two men who were unknown
to each other, raised the alarm after floodwater
rose significantly overnight.
The Land Rover LifeFlight Special Mission helicopter flew to the scene and
a critical Care Flight paramedic was winched down to the scene to assess
the stranded campers.
Once it was determined no one was sick or injured, the rescue crew winched
two people up to the chopper, one with a dog,
and flew them to Moree Airport.
The aircraft then returned to the flooded campsite to collect the other
two people and second dog.
The aircrew was able to use a 'child rescue capsule' to winch the dogs - a
pomeranian and a chihuahua - up to the chopper.
LifeFlight's critical care flight paramedic Aaron Hartle said the group
told him they had become acquainted at the campsite and were monitoring
rainfall in the region over the past few days.
"They knew it was raining and knew it was flooding, but had discussed the
situation and thought they'd be okay," Mr Hartle said.
"When they woke up this morning, the water was higher than knee deep so
the group contacted the NSW SES as there was no way out."
The Land Rover LifeFlight Special Mission helicopter is usually based in
Brisbane but was tasked to Moree by Fire and Rescue NSW yesterday to aid
emergency services in their response to the unfolding flood crisis.
Photos: LifeFlight
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permission of Dennis Amor.
Copyright 2005
Dennis Amor All Rights Reserved
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