Operators' minds blank on lost calls
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 23 Apr 2009: 3.
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Abstract
Ms [Stacey Dickens] asked him for his address several times, despite his insistence that he was "lost in the bush".
The only one to remember taking a call from [David Iredale], and the only one to become tearful in the witness box yesterday, was Renee Waters. She said she did not log the call herself or alert a supervisor because she assumed the call had already been logged. "I am sorry for any part I played in the situation," she said.
The first operator to be cross-examined, Laura Meade, took two calls from David. She denied her comments to him about "wandering off into the middle of nowhere" were meant to be sarcastic.
TWO of the three emergency call operators who took calls from a desperate and dying teenage boy lost in the NSW Blue Mountains had no memory of taking his calls.
Nor did they contact their supervisor over the difficulties they were having.
The three operators, all of whom still work for the NSW Ambulance Service, yesterday told an inquest into the death of David Iredale, 17, that they regretted their conduct.
The three women said the case was not discussed at their place of work, despite them having taken his last calls and despite the story being major news in December 2006 when the incident occurred.
It took several days for vital information David provided to the operators about his whereabouts to be passed on to police.
Stacey Dickens, who has been with the NSW Ambulance Service since 1980, was the last person to speak to the Sydney Grammar schoolboy.
She admitted the transcripts showed she did not appear to have her "mind on the job".
She said in her statement, prepared earlier this month: "I do not have an independent recollection of the calls I received."
Ms Dickens, who took two calls from David, placed him on hold twice during the last call.
"I am sorry that this has happened, and I hope that it doesn't happen again," she said.
"I'm really sorry for the actions that I took."
David repeatedly told all three operators on December 11, 2006, that he was on the well-known Mt Solitary walking track heading towards the Kedumba River.
He had become separated from his two schoolfriends.
Ms Dickens asked him for his address several times, despite his insistence that he was "lost in the bush".
Just before the call dropped out, she repeated: "I need to know exactly where you are."
Ms Dickens said she did not recall making any notes after taking the calls.
The other two operators had only been with the ambulance service as emergency call operators for a matter of months at the time of David's calls.
The only one to remember taking a call from David, and the only one to become tearful in the witness box yesterday, was Renee Waters. She said she did not log the call herself or alert a supervisor because she assumed the call had already been logged. "I am sorry for any part I played in the situation," she said.
The first operator to be cross-examined, Laura Meade, took two calls from David. She denied her comments to him about "wandering off into the middle of nowhere" were meant to be sarcastic.
Credit: John Stapleton
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