wpeE.jpg (6692 bytes)HELICOPTERS & MOBILE PHONES

 
NO! Don't take aim at that nearby helicopter with your friends mobile. Helicopters have been useful in many rescues. Similarly mobile phones have sometimes been very effective in getting outside help. Pretending they aren't there won't make them go away. A far better approach is to learn enough about them to get the best possible results.
Helicopters cannot effect a rescue unless they are first notified and also whether the weather is suitable for flying. When you have an injured person you eventually need medical help. If you were at home you would dial '000' and ask for an ambulance. Perhaps you could use a mobile phone to dial '000'. Now here is the rub - they don't always work! See below for reasons. Well why not walk out to the nearest town or farm and phone from there? Now since helicopters don't generally venture bush at night then some (careful) walking at night, on fire roads or tracks, may help cut down the response time. Only two problems remain. Where is the injured bushwalker and what are their injuries?
A Grid Reference is an ideal way to give location but a bushwalkers G. R. is not good enough for the pilot of a machine that can fly hundreds of kilometres on a tankful. Also what is common knowledge as a locality to bushwalkers is uncommon knowledge to everyone else. What will locate you for helicopter pilots is a fifteen figure grid reference.
All the information you need for a fifteen figure grid reference is on your 1:25,000 topographic map. Now your normal grid reference is a six figure number that assumes an error of around 100 metres, e.g. 767 519. If you could divide every grid square on your map into 100ths instead of IOths, as you usually do, you could get an eight figure grid reference, e.g. 7667 5 195. (Or if in doubt just add a "O" - 7670 5 190 is still within shouting distance of 7667 5 195). If you had a good view of the sky and had spent a lot of money on a sophisticated GPS receiver you could get a location to the nearest metre or less. If you add a zero to each of the Easting and Northing of your G.R. you also have a location to the nearest metre, e.g. 76670 51950. (Or for the doubtful or those in a hurry - 76600 51900). Ten figures down only five to go! The next part requires a complete map and not just a photocopy of a portion. At each corner of your map is the latitude and longitude but also in just the bottom left (southwest) corner are digits to take your G.R. to thirteen figures. Only look at figures in black not grey. Any figures in grey refer to the previous (non-metric) yard grid. You may see a number such as 270000mE and 6249000mN. Put the'2' of 270 etc. in front of your Easting and the '62' in front of your Northing, e.g. 276670 625 1950 - phew thirteen digits and still no sweat! The last two digits are easy. Look in the map legend and find the title ‘GRID:’ A Zone number will be specified, e.g. Zone 56.
Your complete G.R.. For the Word Cave at the junction of Erskine Creek and the Nepean River is now - Zone 56 276670B 6251950N. (See your Penrith 1:25,000 map otherwise known as Penrith 9030-III-N). For those in a hurry or a little doubtful or who like to fudge anyway - Zone 56 276700B 6251900N is still pretty close. The helicopter pilot can now enter this number into the onboard GPS system and fly straight to you. So the helicopter could find you but what injuries should they come equipped to treat. Like humans not all helicopters are created the same. Different levels of treatment and evacuation procedures can apply. You need to specify, as best you can, the level of injuries and associated circumstances according to your First Aid Certificate training. You would take a written note of the history and circumstances of the injury along with the patients location to the nearest phone and dial '000' and ask for an ambulance.
Weather. Strong wind and low cloud,'fog' can prevent helicopters from flying or hovering to winch. Only in exceptional circumstances will they attempt a rescue at night. Many times helicopter rescue has not happened quickly once the alarm has been raised since the location given was wrong! What about mobile phones? Mobile phones are really short range radio transmitters that when in use are constantly automatically switching between the network of phone towers around towns and cities. They are also "line of sight" - if a mountain or building is between you and a tower you will not get through. So even if you climb to the top of a hill it is possible that there is not a tower within your line of sight. Digital phones have a shorter range than the alternative "analogue" phones, which are due to, be phased out from the year 2000. If you have a 'cheap' phone it is most likely analogue. There is always the risk of losing the phone or the battery going flat. Thus it is possible for the phone to let you down when you need it most. Still many people have used a mobile phone to successfully call for help.
This all leads to some philosophy. Some people throw a mobile in the bottom of the pack 'in case'. This can give a false sense of security and encourage people to take undue risks in the belief that help is close at hand. Many people have called for the helicopter when they have merely suffered a minor sprain. The challenge of self reliant travel is lost. The mobile phone is deliberately left at home by others as excess weight and approach their bushwalk as though help will not come quickly and travel cautiously. The choice is yours. You are not legally obliged to carry a mobile phoneor any other location device. Safe bushwalking does not have to be boring. It requires careful selection of lightweight gear and good bushwalking skills of all trip members.