French Tourist breaks leg in the Simpson - a difficult RFDS job

Imagine how much money this country would save if we didn't have to rescue French adventurers.

I love this line.

"The patient was brought out by people who had been driving past, a trip that took eight hours over sand dunes at night."

I'd be happy to help, but he'd have to wait till dawn if I was driving.

If ever you need assistance Boobook, I'm guessing that you wouldn't want the helpers to sit on their bums for a month while they do a risk analysis and decide if you're worth the effort.

What a great feel-good story!

all I can say is hope they had some form of travel insurance. At minimum I hope a generous donation is made to RFDS they are still considered a not for profit organisation.

Within past 3 weeks been two cases of kids getting very sick, cost of medivac out of Bali been well over $40K for each trip not to mention the local hospital fee's involved.

And they don't hold back with medical expenses which have to be paid upfront before release of patient.

Guess this person just lucky some willing travelers were able to assist, looking at ABC pic wouldn't be a nice trip in back of 4 door station wagon.

Excellent outcome and great to they are out to help if the need arises.

If you're interested in how a typical rescue plays out have a read of Outback Cop by Neale Mcshane and Evan McHugh.

McShane was the Birdsville copper for several years.

I notice that the RFDS had to bring their own lights for the late night take-off.

To me, it seems remiss of National Parks not to have their own set of lights, for possible night evacuations at Dalhousie Springs, that has many travellers camped there during the tourist season. These portable landing lights aren't cheap, but are a necessity in such a situation, and there would be many willing folk to assist with placing of the lights.

In my past life, we had a number of night evacuations, and used Sunshine milk tins half full of sand, with a petrol/diesel mix added to provide up to an hours light. The RFDS pilots often commented: "it was lit up like Archerfield(Brisbane) aerodrome." Just a bit smokey with the fuel burning, ha ha.

Good outcome for the Frenchman, at least.

Bob

My experience with the Australian govt health system.

In 2011, I sustained serious steam burns to the back of my hand and wrist when a billy full of cold water tipped over into hot holes whilst I still held the handle.



I got myself to Halls Creek and went to the hospital there. They checked to see if South Africa had reciprocity i.e. countries like German will treat Australians for free and therefore Germans are treated for free. This I can personally confirm as one of my German friends was admitted in Australia.

Australia has no reciprocal agreement with South Africa. I was turned away as I could not afford to pay up front for any treatment.

I needed help. And so hitched to Billiluna where I was known and had worked as a volunteer for 6 weeks in 2010. I was treated immediately by the nursing staff. But my injuries proved to be a concern as large areas of the back of my hand bubbled in blisters and peeled off from halfway up my fingers to my wrist. They were in contact with a doctor in Broome who made the call for me to be flown to Perth. They were concerned that the skin was healing too tight and that I would not be able to close my hand. The flight would be free ..... for Australians. As a South African I did not qualify. And so I could not be flown out. The staff did what they could and gave me medical supplies for a few days so I could keep my wound clean and dry. I was only treated because I was known to the people of Billiluna.

In 2012 I broke my spine in a paragliding accident in NSW. I had medical insurance but it only covered the first 3 months out of South Africa. I was in my fourth month. I was devastated as I knew my injuries were very serious. The doctor treating me calmed me down when I could not give medical insurance details. I told them I was not covered and I admit that I was terribly upset, expecting to be wheeled back out the door. The doctor said that in Australia the person is treated first and the financials taken care of later. I was so relieved.

The financial result is:

I paid for the ambulance.
I paid the hospital bill.
Wespac flew me for free. I reciprocated by raising funds for them on my walk in 2013

Wespac fundraiser

The hospital bill ...... required me to sell my land. It took two years to sell it in order to repay my debt. The accounts department were patient. I did what was required.

It looks like the French are exporting their dumbest, drunken tourists, so perhaps Australia has lost its crown in that dept.

A French tourist, excessive booze, a tree, and a $200 car - and he ends up with a long list of major injuries, and a $45,000 hospital bill!

French tourist gets $45,000 hospital bill after crashing $200 car whilst drunk

What can you say? The Americans say, "You cain't fix stoopid".

I think if I was a Doc, I'd get very sick of patching up stupid, dumb people.
But I guess that's probably about 90% of their work.

Cheers, Ron.