PORT Macquarie, Leslie Williams has used a speech in Parliament to praise the efforts of those students and professionals who assisted in the rescue of students involved in the school bus crash in Port Macquarie.
Ms Williams said that while the exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, what is clear was the swift response of all local emergency services personnel and members of the community who were quickly on the scene.
“Students were pulled out of the bus through smashed windows to the side of the road by a number of students from the Newman Senior Technical College who helped the other 32 passengers from the bus,” Ms Williams said.
“Apart from advising the House about this incident, I do want to take some time to praise a number of students for their outstanding efforts during this time.
“William Gardiner, Josh Burtenshaw and Robbie Morrell all students from the Newman Senior Technical College performed without fear helping the other students on the bus who were obviously in a state of shock and some suffering injuries.
“Without concern for their personal safety these students went about the task of rescuing the students until they were all safely out of the bus and on the side of the road into the arms of some parents and passers-by who had arrived at the scene.
“While that was occurring, the boys also quickly came to the aid of the 63-year-old bus driver and performed first-aid until ambulance officers took over.
“There has been great community support for everyone involved in this rescue operation and praise must be heaped upon ambulance, police and State Emergency Service crews as well as for those people who stopped their cars to render assistance, some of which also included a number of teachers from the Newman College who were travelling behind the bus at the time of the accident.
“You can only imagine the thoughts of the staff at Port Macquarie Base Hospital when advised they were about to deal with 37 patients at the same time through Accident and Emergency.
“But like a well-oiled machine the hospital staff executed their training like the professional people they are with additional staff being called in to assist with triaging and treating the young patients.
“While this accident was terrible, it did demonstrate that during a very trying and difficult time, students, teachers, and emergency services personnel all pulled together during a time of adversity and clearly showed how a local community can work well together and can support each other in difficult and unexpected circumstances.”
