WHILE we’re on the subject of patting people on the back, congratulations must go to all those emergency services personnel involved in Monday night’s rescue of a Wodonga boy and his father after their fall at Beechworth Gorge.
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It was a combined effort from all agencies but personnel from the Beechworth CFA and SES were at the scene for the entire six hours it took to determine the pair would be pulled up by ropes when earlier plans to winch them up by air had to be abandoned.
The Beechworth members carried the father and son the final 60 to 80 metres out of the gorge by stretcher.
The rescue will have been one of the biggest exercises for all concerned, including members of the Mount Beauty CFA which has an 18-year history of rope rescue work.
They were challenged by rocks and terrain, as well as a 300-metre drop that meant they had to set up their rope system three times to cater to the distance.
That also required enormous patience on the part of rescuers who had to re-do their rope system over a series of distances while getting the victims to medical care as quickly as possible.
It was an outstanding effort by everyone concerned.
