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WELL
DONE: Jan Domanski presents the Sikorsky Aircraft Rescue
Award to PO Mark Flowerdew at HMAS Albatross recently. The
award was saving a miner in Western Australia last year.
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Photo:
ABPH Bradley Darvill
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By
Graham Davis
Last
November PO Mark Flowerdew crouched in the doorway of his Sikorsky
Seahawk helicopter peering through swirling dust and guiding his
pilots to safely land the aircraft in a remote Western Australian
clearing.
They had come to save the life of driller’s offsider Craig Chitty,
who earlier in the day had been critically hurt by a falling tree
branch.
Craig’s life was saved and Navy News told the story in “Helo Angel”
on the front page of our last edition for 2004.
What PO Flowerdew and pilots Lieutenants Andrew McCole and Andrew
Rohsheim had done that night did not escape the attention of John
Mushock, the field service representative of Sikorsky Aircraft
Australia Limited who is embedded with 816 Squadron, the RAN’s
Seahawk squadron.
He passed the rescue facts on to senior executives of the company
at their Stratford, USA, head office.
They decided the trio’s actions warranted the awarding of the
Sikorsky Aircraft Rescue Award.
On February 11, before 80 officers and sailors at a Clear Lower
Deck of 816 Squadron at HMAS Albatross, their commanding officer,
CMDR Andrew Rushbrook, told of the exceptional work carried out
that day.
award,” PO Flowerdew said after the presentation.
The 35-year-old Petty Officer and father of two has been in the
Navy for 20 years and a crewman on Seahawks for the past seven
years. He previously flew in Sea Kings with 817 Squadron.
His logbook shows 1,400 hours in the air.
And what did the trio do? On November 19, three 816 Squadron helicopters
were flying from Western to Australia to The award was then presented
to PO Flowerdew.
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IN
THE NEWS: Our front page from December 16 last year ‘They
literally saved this man’s life’ - CMDR Rushbrook
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CMDR
Rushbrook told the gathering that because Lieutenants McCole and
Rohsheim were deployed with their aircraft they would receive
their awards from their ships’ commanding officer. Mr Domanski
said the rescue award was a prestigious accolade, which is not
given lightly.
It is awarded worldwide by Sikorsky.
“I am greatly honoured by the award,” PO Flowerdew said after
the presentation.
The 35-year-old Petty Officer and father of two has been in the
Navy for 20 years and a crewman on Seahawks for the past seven
years.
He previously flew in Sea Kings with 817 Squadron. His logbook
shows 1,400 hours in the air. And what did the trio do?
On November 19, three 816 Squadron helicopters were flying from
Western to Australia to Albatross after participating in a multi-nation
exercise.
As the aircraft alighted at Kalgoorlie Airport for fuel and an
overnight stay, Dr Rob Visser, a doctor for the Royal Flying Doctor
Service walked over to the crews and appealed for help.
He said a mine worker had been hurt by a falling tree 100 nautical
miles away, was badly hurt and needed immediate specialist care.
The nearest fixed-wing airfield was many hours from the accident
scene and this would involve a long drive over unmade roads.
“Could the Navy help with a medivac?” was the question.
The answer was a “yes” and soon afterwards Tiger 77 took off carrying
Dr Visser and nurse Robby Lane.
It was dark when the aircraft arrived Workmates and first aiders
on the ground positioned their vehicles so their headlights formed
an “X” to guide the helicopter to the landing place.
Following treatment by Dr Visser and nurse Lane, Mr Chitty was
flown back to Kalgoorlie Hospital and later that night on to Perth.
He later appeared in local newspapers recovering from his ordeal
but with a large metal frame holding his broken leg in place.
The use of the Navy helicopter enabled a RFDS aircraft to fly
in another direction to save the life of a road accident victim.
