Dreamworld tragedy: ‘It was like a scene from a horror movie’
THE moment Dreamworld’s medical crew heard the calls for help at the Thunder River Rapids ride accident, they knew it was bad. They weren’t ready for the ‘complete pandemonium’ which followed.
Gold Coast
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ONE year ago, the worst injuries first aid officer Shane Green attended at Dreamworld were broken arms or twisted ankles.
That changed forever on October 25 last year.
Speaking for the first time, a still shaken Mr Green, 48, tells the Gold Coast Bulletin of the “complete pandemonium” that confronted him and other Dreamworld staff who were first on the scene at the Thunder River Rapids Ride tragedy:
“As I responded to the call I immediately knew something bad had happened.
The tones in the voices on the radio and the location of the incident had me sprinting to the emergency buggy.
My heart was pounding and I had a feeling of dread.
I knew that something tragic had just taken place.
But I was in no way prepared for what I was about to be involved in.
A few seconds later I pulled up at the Rapids ride and grabbing the resuscitation equipment, I rushed along the exit queue and walked into complete pandemonium.
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The photos from the media show the scene, but what it doesn’t portray is the chaos, the noise, the sounds and the fear on the faces of the staff and guests.
It was like a scene from a horror movie. It has haunted me relentlessly ever since.
I watched one of my team bravely disappear down a ladder into the swirling water and I was terrified for his safety, as the water flows away rapidly into large drains.
I quickly spoke with the on-site engineer about the stability of the raft and then instantly followed my colleague into the water.
The sight I was confronted with is something I wish I had never seen. It was just something I wasn’t prepared for. Something I could never have been prepared for.
Out of respect for all involved I won’t tell you what I saw but we frantically started resuscitation attempts on two patients even though it seemed the odds were against us ...”
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