Cliff was rescue challenge

By Tania Martin
HILLS rescue teams were put to the test last weekend when a Tecoma woman fell 75 metres down a ravine in Mt Dandenong.
Carey Husing, 27, was lucky to be alive after falling down the ravine and spending the night on the side of the mountain.
Ms Husing was taking a sunset walk along the Kyeema Track, near Sky High Mt Dandenong, when she fell.
Kalorama CFA Captain Alex Felich says it was still unclear how or why Ms Husing fell.
“I don’t think she even knows how it happened,” he said.
Ms Husing was knocked unconscious when she fell shortly after 5pm on Friday and spent the night battling the cold until she found her mobile phone shortly after 7am on Saturday.
She rang her family for help, which sparked a three-hour rescue operation.
Mr Felich said Kalorama CFA was first on the scene and that two brigade members were directed by a walker to where Ms Husing was.
He said several members then climbed down to Ms Husing and started work on the three-hour rescue mission.
“She was conscious when we got to her but a little shaken up, cold and relieved to see us,” Mr Felich said.
“She was in remarkably good condition physically, considering she had fallen so far and spent the night out in the cold, but she was lucky because it was a pretty mild night up here which was a good thing.”
Monbulk CFA’s road rescue team led the rescue effort with the help of Kalorama CFA, Lilydale State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers, ambulance and police.
Incident controller Dave Daly of Monbulk CFA said the team set up a pulley system and lowered a stretcher for the paramedics.
He said once Ms Husing was stabilised, the rescue team pulled her up 50 metres to a clear space where she could be hoisted up by the air ambulance.
Mr Daly said the operation was one of the most challenging the rescue team has had.
“Most of our jobs aren’t on an embankment but we are trained for these situations and our training well and truly came in handy this time,” he said.
An ambulance spokeswoman said Ms Husing was treated for the effects of cold but was not suffering from hypothermia, and was also treated for minor injuries including hip and back pain before being airlifted to The Alfred hospital.
Mr Felich said the rescue was very difficult because of its location but the efforts of everyone involved were fantastic.
“It was a great effort by everyone and the team work was just phenomenal,” he said.