Friday, Aug 08, 2003 at 22:29
If you contact the
Police Academy in
Joondalup they will give you the number for the Land Operations Training Unit. It is part written by a copper by the name of Bert O'Meagher. He has lived and worked in the far north almost all of the various tracks through the Western Desert. I had the priveledge of being instructed by him on a
Outback survival course. Did you know you can eat Grass Tree's! Anyway the book mentioned is the best I've seen as a Country Copper and the fact that it's free is a bonus.
As for surviving in the outback, most people with common sense will be prepared, in my experience it's those who don't evben give it a second thought that get in trouble. I'm a copper in
Newman WA and we get tourists in here heading out to the Stock Route or
Rudall River national park. After they have asked us questions about the roads, etc ,we then ask our own questions. I had two german female tourists in a few months back asking for a map to
Rudall River. They hadn't even planned the trip just thoght they'd pop in for a map on the way out. I gave them my copy of "Aid to survival" and contacted the Cotton creek aboriginal community to get permission for them to obtain fuel. I checked thier vehicle and recommended them buying a few items before heading off. No wonder we get guys like the German fella who got bogged at Savory Creek on the Stock Route after leaving
Wiluna with 10 litres of water thinking it would take him two days to get to
Well 33. I had to arrange the rescue for him. Lucky for him two guys in a landrover came across him (he only had two litres of water left, no tent, no shovel, no recovery gear and the daytime temp was about 45 degree's with no shade.) The guys in the landrover had a sat phone which was fantastic from a
Police point of view! Although tracks like the Canning are fairly busy these days it pays to have left your itinery with the local coppers and don't forget to
check in when you get in at the other end. (We are always chasing up people you have long since got
home safe).
Anyway I've waffled on long enough.
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