Helicopters’ Disadvantages In Search And Rescue Work

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29193, 2 May 1960, Page 12

Helicopters’ Disadvantages In Search And Rescue Work

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, May L

Helicopters had their limitations in search and rescue work, but they would almost certainly be used if they were readily available, Mr I. Mexted, national secretary of the Search and Rescue Organisation, said in Dunedin on Saturday. The main disadvantages were: flying charges—about £55 or £6O an hour; transportationconveying the machine by truck to where it was needed, and difficulties in handling a helicopter in turbulent air condtions, he said. At present, he said, there were only a handful of the machines in New Zealand. The police and the Navy had used them in rescue work. Similar comment was made by Chief Superintendent F. N. Aplin, head of the Criminal Investigation Branch, who is the police representative on the Search and Rescue committee. His views were that helicopters were very restricted but, he added, one had been used last year in the Nelson district Mr Mexted and Mr Aplin were both in Dunedin to address an instruction course and conference of the Search and Rescue Organisation (Otago-Southland region). M. Aplin outlined the various types of rescue operations to the 70 to 80 men attending and explained the best methods of co-

operation between the police aad the Federated Mountain Clubs a allied societies.

The police had graded regent operations into three classes, b said. Class 1 was a rescue whig the police could handle withog outside assistance; class 2 wg an operation beyond the policy resources, calling for specialised help and class 3 was a protracted full-scale operation which wm placed in the hands of the search and rescue district co-ordinates; The police could call on mon than 4000 members of the Federated Mountain Clubs and other bodies, and communications cooM be maintained by 800 members of the Amateur Radio Emergency Corps.

Mr Aplin said no finer pubb service was provided in New Zealand than that given by tte Search and Rescue Organisation “You are giving a very real service to the Government and people of New Zealand, and, with the realisation that the respoMk bility primarily rests with tb police, we are very grateftrt to your men,” he said. Hie problem facing search and rescue workers was when meat* bers of the public insisted oa helping. “The public will cond along in their hundreds to tan part, but nearly every operetta I have seen in which they hart participated has been a falluresimply because they are not a* perienced.

“We can’t stop them. Thus may be 500 of them, and we tag got to see they don’t chop q* the organisation. Try to gta them something to do which they can handle.”

Much of Saturday's program—was devoted to detailed explaintion by experienced speakers et various phases of rescue work Search and rescue men frail parts of Otago and South!—t attended, as well as forestry n*> resentatives, senior police offic—and local body representatives.