Twenty-eight members of Army's 11 Brigade responded to an urgent request from the Queensland Police Service (QPS) to help locate a 77-year-old man in Burrum Heads in Queensland.
After four days in hot and muggy conditions, the man was found alive and well thanks to a thorough search-and-rescue operation led by the QPS.
Lieutenant Leoni Derring and her team were first on the scene to assist the man who was in good spirits, but clearly distressed.
"The man had his legs trapped under a log, we sorted that out and then gave immediate first aid with a member of the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS). It was an austere environment, which is probably why the QPS requested our assistance," she said.
Once the patient was stabilised, Lieutenant Derring and a colleague performed a 'lift assist' for about 30 minutes so other members from the task element could reach them with a stretcher. From there, they traversed some 1.5km through rugged bushland and flooded waterways to an emergency services vehicle waiting to transport the patient to hospital.
Lieutenant Derring said she was proud of all teams involved in the rescue, including QAS, QPS and ADF.
"I have worked for the Queensland Coroner and Queensland Ambulance Service in my civilian roles and seen different sides to tasks such as these. The result today was amazing. Lots of happy tears.
"The respect and assistance of each other throughout with focus on the mission, to recover the missing person alive and well and bring him home to his family before Christmas. I can't express the joy we all feel, being a part of such a heartwarming outcome like this."
The Queensland Police Service requested assistance from units within 11 Brigade for a search-and-rescue operation for the 77-year-old man with a medical condition. The steamy summer conditions resulting from significant rainfall meant time was of the essence.
Twenty members from 9 Royal Queensland Regiment and eight from 11 Combat Service Support Battalion mounted and travelled to the Burrum Heads area on very short notice to assist local emergency services including the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Ambulance Service and State Emergency Service in the operation.
Officer Commanding of the Task Element Major Peter Hollyock said the entire search party worked together well.
"This is a great example of interagency cooperation. Our soldiers provided immediate and ongoing first aid and then performed a successful extraction and recovery mission of the patient in a very challenging environment. I'm very proud of the team and being part of what can only be described as a Christmas miracle."
