1
00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,280
Speaker 1: In the past they have been described as being like

2
00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:05,840
Speaker 1: the Swiss Army Knife of the health world. And I

3
00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,720
Speaker 1: think that we're all very proud as Territorians to be

4
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,440
Speaker 1: the home of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Center.

5
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:15,320
Speaker 1: And my understanding is that later this week, some of

6
00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:18,680
Speaker 1: the amazing professionals who are part of the teams which

7
00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,520
Speaker 1: have traveled around the world helping some of the well

8
00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,000
Speaker 1: in some of those incredibly difficult situations are going to

9
00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,120
Speaker 1: be recognized for their work. Now joining me on the

10
00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,040
Speaker 1: line is Professor Lehn nataris the head of the National

11
00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,839
Speaker 1: Critical Care and Trauma Response Center. Good morning to you, Len.

12
00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:38,559
Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. Lovely to speak to you, and good

13
00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,320
Speaker 2: morning to all of your listeners as well.

14
00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,640
Speaker 1: Lovely to have you on the show. And Len, we

15
00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,480
Speaker 1: know that the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Center

16
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:50,440
Speaker 1: do an absolutely phenomenal job. I think that some of

17
00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,880
Speaker 1: that work has really come to the forefront throughout the

18
00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,880
Speaker 1: COVID situation. But there is so much that you guys

19
00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:58,440
Speaker 1: are involved in, isn't there?

20
00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,400
Speaker 2: Yes, there is, alutely, Katie, and thank you for your

21
00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,240
Speaker 2: own support. Born and bred here in the Northern Territory,

22
00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,880
Speaker 2: the product at that first Bali tragedy. The center has

23
00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,759
Speaker 2: grown from strength to strength and what we've got now

24
00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:17,080
Speaker 2: is a very good news story deserving recognition of outstanding achievement,

25
00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:22,759
Speaker 2: dedication and selfless contribution of fifty three osmotas or OSMAT members.

26
00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:27,240
Speaker 2: It's Australian Medical Assistance Team members, which OSMAT is the

27
00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:32,240
Speaker 2: official Australian government multi disciplinary healthcare team that responds to

28
00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:41,319
Speaker 2: what disasters internationally or to local calls domestically. Now, but

29
00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:46,080
Speaker 2: since it started, Katie, back in two thousand and four. Now,

30
00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:47,960
Speaker 2: of course it came out of the Barley bombing, but

31
00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,880
Speaker 2: in two thousand and four it was announced as a

32
00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:56,360
Speaker 2: real entity. The growth has been superb and I'm proud

33
00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,760
Speaker 2: to work with I guess one of the finest teams

34
00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:04,840
Speaker 2: of professionals in this country. Clinicians, nurses, allied health professionals,

35
00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,880
Speaker 2: doctors and critically the logistics support staff, which are the

36
00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,640
Speaker 2: very backbone of what we do. And the majority had

37
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,600
Speaker 2: drawn from our own fire and emergency service here in Darwin.

38
00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:21,720
Speaker 2: Their day jobs as fire personnel and when these catastrophes occur,

39
00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:27,239
Speaker 2: they rise to the cause. So Katie, the humanitarian overseas

40
00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,960
Speaker 2: medal that you're referring to as an award that is

41
00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,920
Speaker 2: given by IT through EMA, which is Emergency Management Australia

42
00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:42,520
Speaker 2: to individuals who have been deployed to perform humanitarian services,

43
00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:46,080
Speaker 2: usually in foreign countries or always in foreign countries during

44
00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:51,400
Speaker 2: humanitarian crises. And the two we're recognizing this week and

45
00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:56,639
Speaker 2: indeed tomorrow the response to the Philippines back in twenty thirteen.

46
00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:02,400
Speaker 2: It sounds like a long time ago processes and indeed

47
00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:06,440
Speaker 2: COVID hasn't helped but twenty thirteen, the Philippines and indeed

48
00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,000
Speaker 2: Banuwatu in twenty fifteen.

49
00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:14,360
Speaker 1: So fifty three Osmaty is going to be recognized. You

50
00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:16,840
Speaker 1: must be pretty proud of their efforts. And you know,

51
00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,120
Speaker 1: proud that this was born out of the Northern Territory.

52
00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:25,600
Speaker 2: Absolutely immensely proud, Katie, and all territorians should be proud

53
00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,840
Speaker 2: as well. Not all of the fifty three obviously are Territorians.

54
00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:30,919
Speaker 2: There are a number that are drawn from other states.

55
00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,960
Speaker 2: Now some of those will be getting clasps as well

56
00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,800
Speaker 2: as medals. In other words, they have deployed both to

57
00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:42,320
Speaker 2: the Philippines and indeed too Banawatu. But we had a

58
00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,840
Speaker 2: major deployment back in twenty ten you may or may

59
00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:49,080
Speaker 2: not recall, which was to Pakistan where we treated just

60
00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:53,800
Speaker 2: on eleven thousand people in just on seventy days, which

61
00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:58,680
Speaker 2: is phenomenal. But going to super Typhoon Him, which is

62
00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:04,720
Speaker 2: the November twenty thirteen event that was a super Thai

63
00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,160
Speaker 2: foon or one of five over a short period of time,

64
00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,320
Speaker 2: winds packing more than three hundred kilometers an hour with

65
00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:17,279
Speaker 2: catastrophic damage. Now we here in the territory recall those

66
00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,400
Speaker 2: who lived through Cyclone Tracy, the tragedy of that and

67
00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:27,120
Speaker 2: the immense destruction the cyclone Ian killed in excess of

68
00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:31,800
Speaker 2: six thousand people and displaced just on eleven million. So

69
00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:36,719
Speaker 2: our team, who was basically rounded up and brought together

70
00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,479
Speaker 2: in a twenty four hour period, set down to utter

71
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:45,800
Speaker 2: destruction and without being too graphic the tragedy, there were

72
00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,840
Speaker 2: still bodies, many many bodies in trees. The hospital had

73
00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:56,600
Speaker 2: been very severely damaged, and it was incomprehensible how they

74
00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:00,760
Speaker 2: built in a couple of days a hospital hampus that

75
00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:05,800
Speaker 2: replaced the hospital services. Now the first team, the Alpha

76
00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,719
Speaker 2: team of thirty seven that went up there commenced that

77
00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,080
Speaker 2: good work and they were followed by a bravo team.

78
00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,120
Speaker 2: And when you consider that over a period of the

79
00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:19,240
Speaker 2: next few weeks they treated in excess of two thousand,

80
00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:25,960
Speaker 2: seven hundred casualties, performed more than two hundred surgical procedures,

81
00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:30,480
Speaker 2: it is quite It became a benchmark internationally and indeed

82
00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,359
Speaker 2: it was probably one of the very first times that

83
00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,559
Speaker 2: a First world nation had responded to such an event

84
00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:43,000
Speaker 2: using the EMT. That's the Emergency Medical Team criteria set

85
00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:47,279
Speaker 2: down by who. And what is important about that is

86
00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:51,320
Speaker 2: that we have been the lynchpin for the EMT initiative

87
00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,080
Speaker 2: since it's very inception, and in fact it was conceived

88
00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,200
Speaker 2: here in Darwin and a number of people from across

89
00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,720
Speaker 2: the nation contributed to it. But that was phenomenal. And then,

90
00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,320
Speaker 2: of course the other the other event that we recognize

91
00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:10,040
Speaker 2: as Banawha to twenty fifteen, and I think there were

92
00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,040
Speaker 2: two teams that went up to up there, initially four

93
00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,839
Speaker 2: people and then another team of twenty and that not

94
00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,600
Speaker 2: as catastrophic in terms of these size, but still fifteen

95
00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:24,520
Speaker 2: deaths in a small island nation, three and a half

96
00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:28,720
Speaker 2: thousand displaced, and the team, I think it's a wonderful

97
00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:33,520
Speaker 2: thing to say, delivered in excess of ninety babies who

98
00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,839
Speaker 2: were born up there, so you often refer to this

99
00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,719
Speaker 2: with army is indeed.

100
00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:42,600
Speaker 1: That, well, then it is absolutely. I just think it's

101
00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,880
Speaker 1: absolutely amazing the work that the National Critical Care and

102
00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,279
Speaker 1: Trauma Response sem to do. You know, I always think

103
00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:52,760
Speaker 1: when those you know, when those really frightening situations unfold

104
00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:57,520
Speaker 1: in Australia, but overseas, as you've just spoken about, most

105
00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,760
Speaker 1: people are trying their best to get away from those situations.

106
00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,279
Speaker 1: And then we've got these amazing people that are part

107
00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:06,640
Speaker 1: of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Center who

108
00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:11,200
Speaker 1: are going into those crisis situations and from what you've

109
00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:16,800
Speaker 1: described pretty scary situations where bodies still in trees and

110
00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,200
Speaker 1: absolutely terrifying stuff, and they are going in there and

111
00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,600
Speaker 1: they're helping people when they're at their lowest.

112
00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,440
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and they have to be innovative. I arrived in

113
00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:32,240
Speaker 2: tacklob In a few days after the initial team arrived

114
00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:38,000
Speaker 2: and they had built a full hospital campus on just

115
00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,160
Speaker 2: one piece of concrete. They had to be innovative, They

116
00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,120
Speaker 2: had to build their own because of self sufficiency as

117
00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,800
Speaker 2: one of the key elements of the response. So it's

118
00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,040
Speaker 2: not a burden on the local community. But rather than

119
00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:54,960
Speaker 2: now set to that community. But they had built this

120
00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:59,360
Speaker 2: facility in literally in ours they've been treating their first

121
00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:04,480
Speaker 2: first casualty. Within hours of setting down, there was torrential

122
00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:08,200
Speaker 2: rain still occurring. I mean I can remember seeing a

123
00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,800
Speaker 2: huge cargo vessel that was now somewhere like, you know,

124
00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:17,600
Speaker 2: sort of five kilometers in land. And even when I derived,

125
00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,760
Speaker 2: the stench of death was still prevailing in the place,

126
00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:22,920
Speaker 2: and it was just there were still bodies to be

127
00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:25,480
Speaker 2: removed and so on and so forth. So it was

128
00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,320
Speaker 2: just horrendous. And as you say, these people go in calmly,

129
00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,400
Speaker 2: they re you know, sort of helped to regenerate the

130
00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:38,120
Speaker 2: community and give a confidence that has now become an

131
00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:44,840
Speaker 2: international benchmark for responses. So yeah, coming out of Darwin, Katie,

132
00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,800
Speaker 2: your listeners and yourself and myself, I burst with pride

133
00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:52,600
Speaker 2: thinking about the good work and the people I'm privileged

134
00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:53,199
Speaker 2: to work with.

135
00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:56,760
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it is absolutely incredible and wonderful that

136
00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,800
Speaker 1: fifty three of those team members are going to be

137
00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:04,320
Speaker 1: recognized tomorrow. Lean How important is it that they are

138
00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:05,640
Speaker 1: recognized in this way?

139
00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,560
Speaker 2: Ah? Look, it is important. And the delay, as I say,

140
00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:14,200
Speaker 2: as it compounds from the time that the event occurs,

141
00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,400
Speaker 2: there have to be submissions and so on and so forth.

142
00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:20,520
Speaker 2: That it's like any of these awards, but it is

143
00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:24,480
Speaker 2: a recognition. The individuals don't do it for the recognition.

144
00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,040
Speaker 2: They do it really for the greater good and for

145
00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:33,440
Speaker 2: the community. But the recognition is important, and I mean

146
00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,600
Speaker 2: a small thank you is often something. It's the only

147
00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,559
Speaker 2: thing that they you know, they sort of beam with

148
00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:46,040
Speaker 2: pride when they see the work that they've actually done.

149
00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,120
Speaker 2: And I mean we have now come into our own

150
00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:54,839
Speaker 2: with public health emergencies. For arguments, take the some crisis

151
00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:59,240
Speaker 2: of two years ago. Now, we haven't stopped for the

152
00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,559
Speaker 2: last few years and we've responded domestically and of course

153
00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,440
Speaker 2: played significant parts bringing people out of Wilham and Diamond

154
00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:11,280
Speaker 2: Princess as well as the local facility here, which it's

155
00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:15,360
Speaker 2: a splendid opportunity to become involved and give things back

156
00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:16,319
Speaker 2: locally as well.

157
00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,880
Speaker 1: Yeah, Honestly, the work that the National Critical Care and

158
00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,560
Speaker 1: Trauma Response sent to do, I think that every territory

159
00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:26,800
Speaker 1: and should be so incredibly proud of and particularly proud

160
00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:29,880
Speaker 1: that these fifty three people are going to be recognized

161
00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:34,319
Speaker 1: with the overseas or the humanitarian Overseas Service Medals tomorrow.

162
00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:35,000
Speaker 2: Lenn.

163
00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:36,760
Speaker 1: I think I'm going to be lucky enough to have

164
00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,000
Speaker 1: two of those people on the show on Friday as well,

165
00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:42,640
Speaker 1: and I'll be really interested to hear about their experiences

166
00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,800
Speaker 1: and some of that work that they've done. But we

167
00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:48,160
Speaker 1: really appreciate your time this morning as well.

168
00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:52,080
Speaker 2: It's an absolute pleasure, and you will hear a humble

169
00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,839
Speaker 2: recount of their own experiences. They are the best of

170
00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:59,960
Speaker 2: the best and it is well worth while listening into.

171
00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, good stuff, well, Professor len Nataris, but we really

172
00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:06,520
Speaker 1: appreciate you having a chat with us this morning, and

173
00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:08,120
Speaker 1: no doubt we'll talk to you again very soon.

174
00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:10,280
Speaker 2: Lovely, thank you, thank you,