An incident at Cowrie Bay last week has left the School for Student Leadership-Snowy River Campus community feeling grateful for the dedication and skill of paramedics and local SES volunteers.
SES and Ambulance Victoria were called on the morning of Tuesday, October 16, when a 15-year-old female student in residence at the Snowy River Campus suffered a dislocated knee while on a bushwalk with 11 other students and two staff at Cape Conran.
“We have nothing but praise and thanks to the dedicated and hard-working members of Orbost SES and Ambulance Victoria”, acting campus principal, Brendan Pfanner, said.
Mr Pfanner said the rescue was in a difficult and inaccessible location on the beach and required stretchers and carrying. Ambulance Victoria officers stabilised the student and made her comfortable before she was carried to the ambulance.
The student was evacuated to Bairnsdale Regional Health Service (BRHS) where she was assessed before returning to the school later that night.
School principal, Mark Reeves, was with her and the attending staff member when they arrived at BRHS.
“We are hoping for her full recovery, but she has a way to go yet”, he said.
“We have nothing but praise for the response from the staff at the Snowy Campus, the SES and Ambulance Victoria.
“The incident required staff to use their wilderness first aid skills, which is required training for the teachers at the school.
“This, as well as a rapid and caring response from our friends in SES and Ambulance Victoria, will ensure a good recovery and outcome for the student.”
In a letter to the Orbost SES members, Mr Pfanner expressed the school’s thanks and gratitude for their hard work and support.
“We are appreciative to be in receipt of such a wonderful team of people who responded quickly and provided a professional level of care and technical skill on scene, to coordinate and execute the rescue and stretcher out our student,” Mr Pfanner said.
“Our community should take great comfort and pride in the fact that those who arrive at your home or scene of an accident are highly trained professionals who have the equipment and training to handle any type of emergency.
“SES members are dedicated and selfless volunteers prepared for any emergency who interrupt their lives to continually help others to deliver care and support anywhere, anytime and often under difficult circumstances.
“Rapid access to quality emergency, care dramatically improves the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden injury.
“We are grateful for the work the Orbost SES members performed to assist our school staff, student and their family.”
The student is from a school in the west of the state and it is hoped she will be able to return and fully participate in the program after undertaking further medical reviews with her parents and home medical specialists.
PICTURED: A student at the School for Student Leadership-Snowy River Campus, and the students and staff who were with her on their Cape Conran bushwalk, are grateful for the quick and skilled response from local SES volunteers and Ambulance Victoria members when they came to her rescue under tough conditions at Cowrie Bay last week.
