RACQ CQ Rescue CEO Tim Healee praises Bogie response

The value of Mackay’s beloved helicopter rescue service was never more clear than when it received a call out to the Bogie shootings on August 4. Here’s how our chopper heroes saved a man’s life after a shocking blast of violence.

The spectre of an active shooter did not stop the heroes of RACQ CQ Rescue from flying to the scene of the Bogie massacre to save a man’s life.

The rescue chopper was tasked to the heinous mass shooting, which took the lives of Mervyn and Maree Schwarz and their son Graham Tighe at a cattle property south of Bowen, on the morning of August 4, departing Mackay at 9.30am and arriving on scene at 10.37am after waiting at a nearby airfield for directions from police.

Ross Tighe, the lone survivor of the killings, suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach and the on-board doctor and critical care paramedic administered blood and drugs as the chopper raced back to Mackay, landing at Mackay Base Hospital at 11.36am, where Mr Tighe underwent emergency surgery.

Darryl Young, 59, was arrested about 12 hours after the alleged execution-style killings and taken into police custody.

RACQ CQ Rescue CEO Tim Healee praised the actions of the crew confronting a potential risk to their lives.

“They still got airborne and went out there and took direction from the police,” he said.

Mr Healee said the service’s doctors, aircrew, pilots and paramedics felt the “impact” of the dramatic nature of their work but the “absolute professionals” were passionate about serving others.

“They work here for a reason,” he said.

“You can’t work here and not be passionate about helping people and serving the community.

“It is tough at times, particularly if some of them have children and there could be a child involved, or some of the injuries are really horrific.

“They are still human and it is a real challenge.

“I take my hat off to them.

“I do not think I could be faced with some of the things the crew are faced with on the frontline.

“They do an amazing job for the community.”

The month of August has proved to be a challenging one for the rescue service, with a concentrated series of critical jobs, including a fatal car crash on the Bruce Highway near Hampden and a shocking tractor death at Koumala, both on August 7.

The service has also taken on a range of complex medical transfers, including a 7.5-hour mission to a remote cattle property at Mistake Creek on August 11 to airlift a 16-year-old girl who suffered serious suffered serious abdominal, leg and pelvic fractures in a dirt bike accident.