A host of community facilities were closed while Dorset County Hospital bosses cancelled outpatient appointments and non-emergency surgery.
“We have had a lot of help from Wessex 4x4 Response.â€
DorsetEcho wrote:
Across Dorset a group of volunteer 4x4 drivers helped the emergency services to get patients to and from hospitals.
Wessex 4x4 Response is a group of 120 volunteers across Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire that only work with the emergency services.
They do emergency work where other vehicles cannot reach, including taking patients and staff to and from hospital.
Volunteer Charlie Moore said: “Yesterday we did about 12 jobs in Dorset including going to Portland to pick up a blood sample and clearing Dorset County Hospital’s landing pad so that the coastguard helicopter could land.
“Last night we helped some Macmillan nurses to get to patients where they were staying and working overnight.
“We have 4x4s so we know we have the advantage and we can put it to good use.â€
Portland job, Helipad and Macmillian jobs mentioned by Charlie in that second quote were all tickets I took. Tell you what, takes a lot of shovels to clear a helipad. I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
22nd Dec 2010 9:22 am
2DISCO3ORNOT
Member Since: 27 Apr 2009
Location: at sea
Posts: 1209
There must be a way to hook a small blade up to the front or back of a D3............
What? Drive on the helipad while it was under coastguard control?? Are you mad?????
Coastguard bloke would have burst a blood vessel if I'd even suggested it I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
a couple of sticks of tnt would have shiifted it all in seconds
Good job sir - proud of you Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
22nd Dec 2010 9:38 am
2DISCO3ORNOT
Member Since: 27 Apr 2009
Location: at sea
Posts: 1209
Why did you have to clear the helipad..............couldnt you just clear the "H" so he can see where to stick it
Lex, there were plenty of other guys out there doing sterling stuff, just Charlie mentioned my jobs. Tim, Gareth and Matt from Wessex 4x4 were doing a cracking job too. Tim and Gareth had to work together to get the head of maternity in, which made a big difference to how that department was and will be staffed in the next week or two. Meanwhile Matt stayed in the vicinity of the hospital pulling cars clear of approaching ambulances and helping get the ambulances in. All told it was a massive team effort and only a fraction of our jobs got logged centrally as individual incidents.
As regards the helipad, no idea. Had just finished a job and saw a bunch of people with shovels on the pad with the landing beacon flashing. Spoke to the pad controller who said they needed it clear for patient transfer to and from the helicopter, which makes sense. As this was wet snow, 8" deep, in a relatively confined space I suspect the pilot wouldn't be prepared to put down for fear of foreign object damage, to the aircraft and the hospital?I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
22nd Dec 2010 12:13 pm
ad15
Member Since: 14 Dec 2008
Location: up that tree
Posts: 4866
DrLex wrote:
Well done, Al! Sounds like you took all 12 jobs.
Do you still need vaccinations to visit Portland?
nah all good now,, just don't say "bunnies" or "rabbits"
re the helo,,, i'd havethough the downwash would have cleared it nicelyone wife.......livid
Oh it would have cleared it alright. Right over the recently cleared entrance to A&E, the ambulances parked next to A&E and all the Dorset SAR, St Johns and Wessex 4x4 vehicles parked up by the entrance to Maternity. Not to mention the risk of foreign objects hidden in the fresh snow.
The pad at DCH is yards from the entrance to A&E and it's a reasonably tight landing for the coastguard AW139. Dorset Police's MD Explorer gets in there without difficulty, as does the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance (a Eurocopter 135). When the coastguard were still running the Bristow Beast it looked like the tail rotor was going to come in through the doors!I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
(from the last time I helped with a heli job in the forest behind my place)I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
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