Page 31 - QARANC Vol 14 No 13 2016

THE GAZETTE QARANC 29
Te Papa Museum in Wellington which had a huge display on Gallipoli. This included Medics and Nurses during the conflict and had huge display pieces created by the same company that created Lord of the Rings, Hobbit and Avatar pieces. This was followed by a visit to Weta Workshop where the props were made for Lord of the Rings among other films.
I then returned to Palmy to find out that I was going on another exercise for 6 weeks to Australia.... Not bad, I thought, with images of the Gold Coast or Sydney Harbour Bridge immediately springing to mind. This was soon dispelled when I arrived in Cultana, a large training area 300km north of Adelaide to take part in Ex Hamel, a large multi-national exercise incorporating up to 10,000 troops. I was attached to the Role 2(E) to work in the Resus dept.
A short brief from the OC about rules around the complex was given and I must admit I was glad to confirm a few language issues as he insisted everyone had to wear thongs to the showers!!
A few of the Australians apologised for me having to go to Cultana, as apparently, according to a few ex British Army people, it’s their equivalent of Sennybridge. I was put to work to establish the Role 2 which took 3 days from start to fully established, although Resus was able to take P1 casualties within 2 hours.
The set-up is very similar to our ED depts. There is a 5 man team plus 1 doctor per bay. They have 2 ED bays and an ED consultant monitoring both bays. Also they had 1 bed theatre, a 2 bed ICU, Pathology, Imaging and a 45 bed ward. Having spent most of my career in Role 1 facilities, this looked a massive complex and I was interested to see how it all worked.
After a short 2 day Hospex the exercise started and we had our mixture of Cas Play and No Duff casualties throughout the exercise. There was training going on all the time around the working day from which a
lot of information was learnt.
Up to now I must admit to enjoying
Long Look and indeed my experiences of both NZDF and ADF. I am coming back to New Zealand to the more familiar Role 1 setting and Medical Centres where I am working with an Adv Nurse Prac and also getting some time to go hunting, skiing and sightseeing.
Sgt Damion Kelly QARANC
Photos so Far
Ex Archilles – Tekapo.