LifeFlight airlifts 10 patients in one day
LifeFlight crews around the state of Queensland, Australia, were tasked on 11 missions and airlifted 10 patients to hospital.
It was a busy day for LifeFlight crews around the state of Queensland, Australia on 20 September, who were tasked on 11 missions and airlifted 10 patients to hospital, the service reported.
The Bundaberg RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter airlifted a 33-year-old woman to the Bundaberg Hospital after she was involved in a serious motor vehicle accident on the Bruce Highway. Later that day the same woman was airlifted by the Sunshine Coast crew to Brisbane for further specialised care.
Following another motor vehicle accident, a motorbike rider in his 60s was airlifted from Glenmorgan to Toowoomba by the LifeFlight SGAS helicopter.
Two patients were airlifted from north of Tin Can Bay and in the South Burnett region by LifeFlight crews after falls – one patient suffered an injury after falling from a ladder, while a man in his 70s was flown to hospital after what was believed to be a fall from a horse.
The Bundaberg and Sunshine Coast RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopters both airlifted separate patients with cardiac conditions from Fraser Island to Bundaberg and Hervey Bay Hospitals.
LifeFlight crews also airlifted four more patients between different hospitals with a range of medical conditions.
LifeFlight chief operating officer Brian Guthrie reflected that school holiday periods were traditionally busier for LifeFlight crews around the state: “Obviously once the weather starts to warm up, more people are travelling on the roads and generally are out and about and are more active. But 10 patients in one day is a busier-than-usual day for aeromedical retrievals for LifeFlight, even for the holiday period.” He added: “We don’t expect it to ease up over the next few weeks, but we are well equipped to be able to handle whatever we are required to do.”