Miss Prue Young1
1St John, Nelson, New Zealand
On December 9th, 2019, at 2.11pm, Whakaari White Island Erupted. A community and local emergency services driven response supported the evacuation of the injured and dying from the island, while Aeromedical services across New Zealand were mobilized.
As an Intensive Care Paramedic on the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter, I was 262 NM direct line from the unfolding incident. Initially, our crew were only tasked with cover requirements in the lower North Island. After landing in Palmerston North, this was soon upgraded to join the unfolding aeromedical response.
A total of 32 patient were transported by aeromedical services to multiple destination around New Zealand. The patients presented with severe chemical burns and complex airway and respiratory compromise, an unprecedented event in the world.
Working a 24-hour shift, in a rapidly changing and dynamic environment, with the longest transport time of a patient in this incident, and of my career to date, along with severity and changing patient condition, I transported a patient from Whakatane Hospital to Christchurch Hospital.
Examining the pre-deployment, logistical and clinical considerations, crew resource management and patient treatment, I present my involvement.
Aeromedical services in New Zealand need to collaborate, share situational awareness and knowledge, to implement policies and procedures, maximizing capabilities of all staff and services, to improve the response to the next major incident.
This is my story
Biography:
An Intensive Care Paramedic on the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter, working for St John New Zealand. I hold Postgraduate qualifications from AUT and the University of Otago from the Aeromedical school