Water Training

Greetings from the Middle East...

I have often wondered how many of you know exactly what I do for a living...

Yes, I am a Paramedic, that much most of you already know. But that is only part of my current employment. Some of you may even now that I work for a company called Falcon Aviation Services...on helicopters...which makes me a Flight Paramedic...but what do you call me when I get lowered to the ground from the helicopter on a cable no thicker than you little finger...to pick up a complete stranger and then get pulled back into the same helicopter, but now with the patient on the same cable doubling the load...well, what would you call that....I'll let you decide.

We recently did a Water Rescue Exercise here in Abu Dhabi which involved the simulated rescue of a manikin first, then a real life person who volunteered to be abused by us for the greater good of humanity...below are some of the pictures that we took...

Below: Rescue Swimmer - Michael Wallis Hoist Operator - John Phu Pilot in Command - Ray Speights Co-Pilot - Gordon Jefferey Live Patient - Brian Mullin


Well, until next time and it would be great to get email's from you all once in a while...

Mike, Luiza, Chavez and Thorn...OH...and By the Way...

MERRY CHRISTMAS
and
HAPPY NEW YEAR

UAE National Day World Record

Not much interesting has happened in our lives since our last posting, but when something does happen, it is usually 'big'...and this weekend was no exception.

December 2nd is the UAE's National Day and the company for whom I work (Falcon Aviation Services - FAS) broke the world record yesterday for the largest Heli-Banner ever towed by a helicopter...a 50,000 Sq. Ft UAE flag. The flag was bigger than a acre of land.




The pilot, Ray Spieghts, is a personal friend of ours and we took his wife Tanye and grand-daughter Logan with us to Abu Dhabi to witness the 'big' event. Unfortunately the photographs just dont seem to do the flag justice.

The helicopter used to pull the flag was a Bell 412 EP Search & Rescue helicopter from our SAR program in Dubai. A smaller Bell 206 Jet ranger was used to take Aerial video and photographs and can be seen flying with them in some of the pictures.

Although the second helicopter does look remarkably close to the flag, it is infact not as close as it seems.

Until next time...

Mike, Luiza & the Kids