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Originally Posted by cavvy
one of the drivers was airlifted to Dandenong Hospital,
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Good to hear both drivers are OK (well relatively OK) but once again we get people assuming the worst when a Helicopter shows up at Phillip Island
For starters if he went to Dandenong he's not that bad as The Alfred & Royal Melbourne are the two primary Trauma Hospitals in Melbourne for Helicopter transports.
I've posted this before but for those unaware Phillip Island is just on 80km as the chopper flies from Melbourne but 130km by road. Phillip Island usually has one Ambulance covering the island not counting the two units at the track.
If either track unit leaves the track racing must stop until it is replaced, if they use the Island Ambulance the Island is left uncovered for the general public.
They then have to get another crew together on Overtime to cover while an ambulance transports by road and this can take up to or over 3 hours depending on if it's held up unloading at the hospital and the return trip in normal traffic.
It's cheaper and easier to send a chopper over from Melbourne to get the patient to Hospital than to lose one of the units on the Island.
So don't panic if you see a Helicopter arrive at PI it's usually not that bad, it's all economics.
Also note that normal CAMS, AASA or MA insurance doesn't have enough cover for an Ambulance trip to Melbourne by road from PI let alone if you get flown out hence the importance of having your own Ambulance subscription / membership.