By Callum Ludwig
Emergency services were called out for rescue operations on both Friday 19 and Sunday 21 January.
Both rescues required support from the air, with a woman in her 20s airlifted in Taggerty on Friday and a man in his 80s winched to safety in Marysville on Sunday.
Ambulance Victoria (AV) confirmed the woman was airlifted to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition with a lower-body injury after paramedics responded at 11am. Four CFA units from Marysville, Monbulk, Wandin and Buxton attended alongside SES crews and Victoria Police, with the incident under control at 11.31am and safe at 1.33pm. The incident occurred on a steep and exposed section of the Wells Cave Track on Sugarloaf Peak.
Marysville SES Unit deployed five search and rescue members and activated the wider high angle rescue team. Two of their high-angle operators formed a rapid access party, heading up the track to assess the patient while others set up a command point.
To make the scene safe for a winch extrication, the Marysville SES Unit needed to assist around 20 other hikers up a rock climb and off the track including some who provided initial first aid to the patient.
Specialist rope crews from SES Alexandra Unit, Wandin Fire Brigade, Monbulk Fire & Rescue (CFA) and FRV also were staged in the car park ready to assist if required.
In the Sunday incident, AV confirmed the elderly man fell between 10 to 30 metres and suffered head and leg injuries, with a flight paramedic winched down to treat the patient who was then winched out and airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Marysville SES Unit assessed the situation quickly at Keppel Lookout, with their rope operators rigging a safety line to make access to the patient and to allow the man’s family members and other responders who’d provided initial care to move back up to a safe spot. One of Marysville SES’ rope team remained with the patient, providing first aid and securing him for the rescue effort.
Fortunately, the clear weather allowed the unit to ready the scene for access by the air ambulance.
With all members attached to a safety line, crews were able to successfully load the patient onto a stretcher and assist the flight paramedic with treatment before the stretcher was winched up into the helicopter.
