Marathon rescue and airlift - Rossglen

Published: 30 Jan 2022 05:37pm

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have been involved in a marathon 10-hour, two-person rescue at Rossglen on the state's mid-north coast.

Just after 5:30 pm yesterday, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews were asked to assist in the multi-agency rescue of initially one person, who had slipped and fallen in thick bushland near Stoney Creek Rd, just south of Kew.

The patient was camping in the area and had fallen and hit her head on a rock, approximately 300 metres from the road.

FRNSW crews worked with NSW Ambulance, NSW Police and the Rural Fire Service to stabilise the patient, before winching her out by rescue helicopter.

The patient was airlifted to safety by 8:30 pm, and crews began to return to their vehicles on foot.

At this time, an emergency service worker reported chest pains of their own.

They were assessed by NSW Ambulance crews, and it was decided to request the rescue helicopter return to collect the first responder.

The second patient was airlifted to hospital at 1:33 am, and crews left the scene just before 3am.

The Emergency Plus app was used to supply GPS coordinates to Triple Zero (000) call takers, assisting the initial rescue


Superintendent Adam Dewberry from Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) said this is a timely reminder that calling Triple Zero (000) for an emergency can be the difference between life and death.

The Triple Zero (000) service is the quickest way to get the right resources from emergency services to help you. It should be used to contact Police, Fire or Ambulance services in life-threatening or time-critical situations.

Updated: 25 Oct 2022 12:21pm

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Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.

For all life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)

For flood information, warnings or requests for non-life threatening assistance, call the SES on 132 500 or visit the NSW State Emergency Service website here. [external link].

For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link]