[LINK] Lost in the Blue Mountains: triple-0 operator 'uncaring'

[Ivan Trundle]

On 17/04/2009, at 1:57 PM, Marghanita da Cruz wrote:

> Though I would guess that checking with the police or the local  
> bushwalkers
> club/tourist info center etc would have provided them with useful  
> information as
> to what they should carry with them and attempt - maybe even a basic  
> guide to
> bushwalking as well as the ePIRB.
>
> Unfortunately, I can't help but see parallels here with 17 year old  
> male drivers.

Not at all. This was a Duke of Edinburgh Scheme walk, and part of the  
requirements of the scheme is to be well-prepared, and to have  
undertaken other walks in anticipation of this trip. They would also  
have had to notify the authorities, and leave a route plan - if they  
did NOT do this (and the inquest will determine this) - then they have  
not carried out explicit DofE instructions.

It was a three-day walk, which implies that they were not well- 
advanced in their understanding and learning of the challenges of such  
activities, but then they were most unlikely to be rank beginners.

As with all such tragic events, 20-20 hindsight tells you what should  
be done to mitigate such circumstances, but I'd be very reluctant to  
compare the inexperience of a young bushwalker with the inexperience  
and bravado of young drivers.

I've seen many similar events both here and overseas (it was my job  
and my life for many years), and as with all adventurous activities,  
there is an element of risk - removing the risk entirely is  
impossible. I've also seen very experienced people suffer the same  
fate: and any amount of safety gear will NOT prevent tragedies from  
repeating themselves.

iT