During the last few weeks the Cessnock District Rescue Squad has attended a variety of incidents and some of the time the services of the Rescue Squad was not required with only minor injuries sustained.
On the 7th March at approximately 5:17pm the Rescue Squad responded to reports of an overturned truck on the John Renshaw Drive x Weakleys drive roundabout, upon arrival of emergency services the driver had climbed out of the truck with only minor injuries the load of concrete pipes he was carrying had spilled onto the road way causing significant delays for peak hour motorists, then at approximately 8:10pm the rescue squad was requested by NSW Ambulance paramedics for urgent ambulance assist at Paxton, before the rescue squad could respond they were called off as rescue services were no longer required.
Then on the 9th March at approx. 1:15pm the Rescue Squad responded to reports of an accident on Mountain View Place Kitchener intersection Rescue squad units arrived on scene and assisted NSW ambulance paramedics with loading a patient into a spine board and into an awaiting ambulance for transport to hospital, rescue squad remained on scene for a short time and returned to base until approximately 8:20pm when they were responded to reports of a accident with a vehicle on its roof on Lake Rd Kearsley, upon arrival of emergency services no one was trapped in the vehicle, and the rescue squad was stood down. Whilst on the 17th March units responded to reports of a persons trapped accident on the Buchanan interchange of the New Hunter Expressway, upon arrival of emergency services the female was sitting in the vehicle suffering shock and minor injuries, she was transported to hospital by NSW Ambulance.
While the Rescue Squad doesn’t just attend accidents there has also been callouts for a child accidently locked in a car on the 12 March at around 7:30pm and on the 19th March at approx 12:20pm a child with his finger stuck in a door latch in a classroom at West Cessnock Primary School, the boys finger had been stuck in a door latch in the classroom floor, Rescue Squad members freed the boys finger within 5 mins and the boy suffered no injury just a sore finger and embarrassment with relieved teachers and onlookers and was not required to be transported to hospital after an assessment from NSW Ambulance Paramedics .
With Summer now over and the cooler months on their way the Rescue Squad is still being contacted for Snakes averaging approx. 4-5 per week, while every call doesn’t result in capture for a variety of reasons it is better to try and capture the snake and remove it to a safer location rather than killing the snake yourself, as attempting to kill the snake can often result in it being provoked and increase the risk of being bitten, all native snakes in NSW are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.
If you see a snake, in your bird aviary, chook pen, house, shed or even caught in bird wire/mesh etc stay calm call (02)4991244 and keep an eye on the snake and someone will assist you and have Rescue Squad members remove the snake free of charge and relocate it to a safe area.