Thread: Do they get a bill?

I suspect that either the prospect of a 2 week stay in the desert was having mental health impacts on the family or they are after their 15 minutes of fame but if the latter was the case then the book deal would have been better if they waited longer in the desert.

They were well set up and had plenty of experience in outback travel
They had an EPIRB which alerted authorities to their plight, it is difficult to understand the rationale for pushing the button on the epirb without knowing the circumstances.
Perhaps the rescue was forced on them as the authorities did not want the ongoing risk of a family remaining in the desert on 40 degree days being placed on them?
The Simpson closes on December 1, perhaps this factored into their decision to leave Birdsville?
I'm not so sure that the amount of rain was accurately forecast at the time they departed Birdsville and it is certainly unseasonal.
I'm surprised at some of the attitudes expressed regarding travellers who have put in at least as much thought and probably more than some people on here who have done similar trips with less prep. IMHO they should not be charged, if they faced the cost of being rescued they would not have set off the epirb and a far more tragic outcome may have occurred.

Regards,
Tote

Originally Posted by V8Ian

What I find unforgivable is the blatant disregard for the kids' safety. They should have been equipped with VHF, satphone or both.

So everyone on here who has crossed the Simpson has had those items? I'm not so sure. When we have done remote trips we usually carry a club satphone and an epirb but the risk to the kids is more about the risk of being too far from medical help in the case of a medivac emergency. We had a daughter fall in the fire 12 hours drive from Mt Dare, that makes you think about risk and there is no way you would get a chopper in there inside a couple of days. Luckily in our case there wasn't a major injury but would I change the decision to take them - absolutely not.
Besides they had a satphone within hours of setting off the epirb so not taking one is pretty irrelevent to the "rescue"

Regards,
Tote

Originally Posted by Tote

So everyone on here who has crossed the Simpson has had those items? I'm not so sure. When we have done remote trips we usually carry a club satphone and an epirb but the risk to the kids is more about the risk of being too far from medical help in the case of a medivac emergency. We had a daughter fall in the fire 12 hours drive from Mt Dare, that makes you think about risk and there is no way you would get a chopper in there inside a couple of days. Luckily in our case there wasn't a major injury but would I change the decision to take them - absolutely not.
Besides they had a satphone within hours of setting off the epirb so not taking one is pretty irrelevent to the "rescue"

Regards,
Tote

A satphone at what cost? It had to be dropped to them by helo. Satphones can be rented by the month, quite economically. I wouldn't entertain remote travel without a satphone, with or without young kids.
How many time did the helicopter have to fly out to them, thanks to their reckless conduct?

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Perth family stranded in Simpson Desert after heavy rain rescued by police - ABC News

A stella demonstration of irresponsibility, inexperience, lack of preparedness and research.
They had to be air dropped food and a sat phone. The two little kids had no say in the potentially lethal risks they were being subjected to.

Experts (and AMSA) are now saying they were well prepared, were not irresponsible and are in fact being praised for activating the PLB early. When they left Birsdsville all roads were open so if authorities had concerned at that time they should have been closed.

They should not be charged to costs as it sets a dangerous precedent. If these "rescues" are charged then people will be reluctant to call for help and lives will be lost.

The rescue services are there, and costed exactly for these events.

Garry

Originally Posted by V8Ian

They should have been equipped with VHF, satphone or both.

And after they had got struck what then - would not have been a lot of help - they would still have been bogged - they had the itemm that counts - the PLB.

Originally Posted by 101RRS

And after they had got struck what then - would not have been a lot of help - they would still have been bogged - they had the itemm that counts - the PLB.

They were ill equipped. A PLB is for mayday situations, they were in a pan situation, for which a satphone or VHF is perfectly adequate.
Had they bothered to equip themselves with all the appropriate comms, there would have been no need to send a chopper with the satphone.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

A satphone at what cost? It had to be dropped to them by helo. Satphones can be rented by the month, quite economically. I wouldn't entertain remote travel without a satphone, with or without young kids.
How many time did the helicopter have to fly out to them, thanks to their reckless conduct?

The satphone was dropped from a Cessna, there was footage of the drop. so pretty cheap in the scheme of things.

Regards,
Tote

Originally Posted by V8Ian

They were ill equipped. A PLB is for mayday situations, they were in a pan situation, for which a satphone or VHF is perfectly adequate.
Had they bothered to equip themselves with all the appropriate comms, there would have been no need to send a chopper with the satphone.

If they were in a pan situation why were they evacuated then?

Regards,
Tote