A RESCUER has recounted how volunteers helped save an eight-year-old boy who survived a 200 metre fall over the weekend.
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Local controller of the State Emergency Service Joshua Osborne was one of the five Armidale volunteers from the service who were at the scene at Dangars Falls.
He said the service was called out to help with a vertical rescue at about 5pm on Saturday if the rescue helicopter was unable to reach the boy.
“It wasn’t a sheer drop … but it was in a very steep and shrubby area.”
NSW ambulance duty operations manager Neale Waters, who was also at the scene, said the boy had fallen about 200 metres away from a viewing platform.
“What’s stopped him from falling to the bottom, I don’t know,” he said.
Inspector Waters said it was believed the boy climbed through a railing to recover something he had dropped when he slipped.
He said it was lucky someone had a CB radio which helped raise the alarm and enable the rescuers to communicate.
Mr Osborne said an ambulance paramedic and police officer, along with five members of the public, climbed down to help the boy and ensure he was stable throughout the five hour rescue.
The volunteers laid down fluoros on the path to give light and ensured everyone had enough water, food and were kept warm.
“It got dark really quickly,” he said. “It was very cold as we waited for the helicopter to come from Lismore.”
The crew was also working on a back-up plan in case the helicopter’s winch was unable to reach the boy.
“That was predominately why we were there,” Mr Osborne said. “The volunteers who assisted in the rescue have a lot of training and it is important their work doesn’t go unnoticed.”
He said a service chaplain also came out to the scene to help support the family.
It wasn’t until about 9.15pm when the Northern Region Lifesaver rescue helicopter arrived from Lismore to help winch the boy to safety.
“If it turned out to have been unsafe for the helicopter because of wind or fog then we would have been on-hand to bring him up,” Mr Osborne said.
The boy, who fractured his leg during the fall, was airlifted to Tamworth airport and then transported to Tamworth Base Hospital where he was in a stable condition.
