3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Gizmos and gear used in Helicopter Op's
Kulwin Park
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3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Postby Kulwin Park » Tue Sep 7 2021, 10:26

Hi fellow slappers.
With the 3 year old autistic boy that was found safe & well in country NSW yesterday by the NSW Pol Air, does anyone know if the boy was found using specialist gear like heat signature equipment?
Or does that not work during the day-time hours?

Curious as to if using high tech gear saved the boy, or just good eye sight by the crew?
cupid stunt
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Re: 3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Postby cupid stunt » Tue Sep 7 2021, 19:53

Mk1 eyeball
Wannabe60Driver
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Re: 3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Postby Wannabe60Driver » Wed Sep 8 2021, 08:06

cupid stunt wrote:Mk1 eyeball


As is the case with most SAR activations.

What isn’t mentioned in the news articles is that the police helo would’ve been told which terrain to prioritise by the SAR Mission Commander based on extensive stats on where lost people are found based on age, sex, and issues like dementia and autism. No surprise that a 3-year-old autistic kid was found only 470m from home playing in a creek bed.
cupid stunt
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Re: 3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Postby cupid stunt » Wed Sep 8 2021, 20:45

What isn’t mentioned in the news articles is that the police helo would’ve been told which terrain to prioritise by the SAR Mission Commander based on extensive stats on where lost people are found based on age, sex, and issues like dementia and autism. No surprise that a 3-year-old autistic kid was found only 470m from home playing in a creek bed.


Err no, not when I worked there
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Re: 3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Postby Wannabe60Driver » Thu Sep 9 2021, 00:58

cupid stunt wrote:Err no, not when I worked there


NSW have always been a bit special but most SARMCs who’ve qualified in recent years (myself included) trained in QLD as there they’re accustomed to having command of all air, land, and sea assets.
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Re: 3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Postby Gunga Din » Thu Sep 9 2021, 01:33

cupid stunt wrote:
What isn’t mentioned in the news articles is that the police helo would’ve been told which terrain to prioritise by the SAR Mission Commander based on extensive stats on where lost people are found based on age, sex, and issues like dementia and autism. No surprise that a 3-year-old autistic kid was found only 470m from home playing in a creek bed.


Err no, not when I worked there


Not when I was there either, but in those days all we had in the B206 was a pair of stabilised binos in the back seat, which tended to pull the observer's eyes out and make him lose his brekky.
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Tactical71
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Re: 3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Postby Tactical71 » Tue Sep 14 2021, 05:29

As someone who was an observer looking for a missing male just recently for Police, I can assure you, on my mission, it was eyes and eyes only! And the helo was tasked by the SARCommander to areas that could not otherwise be properly or effectively searched on foot or by boat. We were searching a river corridor. We were in a chartered helo, not a police one and it was not set up with any specialist equipment.

However, I have worked on searches where thermal imaging is used and can be used during the day. Often, these days, drones are used with thermal gear at night and helo’s during the day.

I am of the belief that NSW Polair does have some fairly sophisticated technology on board some of their aircraft for SAR and surveillance missions.
Kulwin Park
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Re: 3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Postby Kulwin Park » Tue Sep 14 2021, 09:57

Tactical 71 that wwas my thoughts exactly. What specialist equipment did NSW Polair use to find the boy? But if it was eyes only, then that is great eyesight and well trained crew onboard in the cabin.
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Re: 3 y/o boy found in NSW, what equipment used?

Postby godfather007 » Tue Sep 14 2021, 10:17

Trained eyes and fingers through operating a camera.
Thermal is marginal in day light and best in cold/night conditions.
Great work and outcome for this event. Well done to the whole crew!
Nice to see a good news story leading the news for a change.. even if it was only for 1 day.
There is always an option.

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