Jim Jim Falls Rescue
Posted: Sun 09 Nov, 2014 9:24 pmFrom ABC News
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-09/d ... er/5877958
A Belgian tourist suffering from dehydration has been rescued from the top of Jim Jim Falls in Kakadu National Park after her husband set off an emergency beacon.
It came 11 days after a German national died in a nearby car park on the park's hottest day in a decade, as well as a heat-related death in 2010.
Kakadu operations manager Anthony Contarino said, without an emergency response, the 59-year-old may not have survived.
"A great deal of effort was put in by emergency services," he said.
"Without all those things occurring, it might have been a very different outcome."
He said the track to the top of the falls had been closed due to the hot weather.
"The temperature on top of the escarpment is up to 10 degrees hotter than in the car park because of rocks and radiant heat," he said.
"It was no different to any other day – this time of year it gets hot.
"We received a confirmation around the middle of the day yesterday that an EPIRB (emergency beacon) had been set off. Over the course of the following hours we were able to locate that person and get some medical care to them."
Mr Contarino said the park would look into its track closure signage.
"This person was definitely in an area that was closed," he said.
"From our perspective it was obvious [the track] was closed.
"It's something we have to look into.
"I think visitors generally understand nature is hard place and also understand they do need to be responsible for their own safety."
Jim Jim Falls was shut to visitors today as part of the scheduled wet season closure.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-09/d ... er/5877958
A Belgian tourist suffering from dehydration has been rescued from the top of Jim Jim Falls in Kakadu National Park after her husband set off an emergency beacon.
It came 11 days after a German national died in a nearby car park on the park's hottest day in a decade, as well as a heat-related death in 2010.
Kakadu operations manager Anthony Contarino said, without an emergency response, the 59-year-old may not have survived.
"A great deal of effort was put in by emergency services," he said.
"Without all those things occurring, it might have been a very different outcome."
He said the track to the top of the falls had been closed due to the hot weather.
"The temperature on top of the escarpment is up to 10 degrees hotter than in the car park because of rocks and radiant heat," he said.
"It was no different to any other day – this time of year it gets hot.
"We received a confirmation around the middle of the day yesterday that an EPIRB (emergency beacon) had been set off. Over the course of the following hours we were able to locate that person and get some medical care to them."
Mr Contarino said the park would look into its track closure signage.
"This person was definitely in an area that was closed," he said.
"From our perspective it was obvious [the track] was closed.
"It's something we have to look into.
"I think visitors generally understand nature is hard place and also understand they do need to be responsible for their own safety."
Jim Jim Falls was shut to visitors today as part of the scheduled wet season closure.