Running for your life

WHEN he was meant to be outside enjoying his school’s annual athletics day, 12-year-old Jack Joseland was dealing with the media from his hospital bed.

Twenty-four hours earlier the Yaraka State School student was a passenger in a single vehicle accident on the Tonkoro Road, 160 kilometres south-west of Longreach, which left the driver of the car, 65-year-old Wendy Blumson fighting for her life.

In shock and suffering from cuts and bruises, Jack managed to crawl free from the ute and run "flat-chat" for two-kilometres to raise the alarm at ‘Noonbah’ station.

Karen and Angus Emmott from ‘Noonbah’ were stunned by the youngster’s arrival, despite knowing that Jack and Wendy were enroute to their property.

"I knew they were coming and heard the dogs barking, but I wasn’t expecting to see Jack like that," Mrs Emmott said.

"As soon as I saw him – all grey, stumbling and disorientated – I knew something wasn’t right."
Many would consider being a medic to be a huge advantage in an emergency, but being a nurse herself, Mrs Emmott can now see a few drawbacks.

"Luckily there was another adult in the house to watch over Jack, while I went to Wendy.

"In some ways it is scary being a nurse in that situation and knowing all the complications of a chest injury.
"Even with my experience, all I could do was keep her calm, assess her injuries, check her pulse and keep her warm until the emergency services arrived."

The Longreach Ambulance Service was so impressed with Jack’s fortitude and quick thinking in the face of an emergency situation that they have nominated him for a bravery award.

"If it wasn’t for Jack, Wendy would have been dead," Longreach paramedic Ian Pyper said.

Paramedic Brian Masters described first seeing Jack: "He was quite a sick little boy when we arrived; pale and in shock.

"We decided to present him with the award because it was such an outstanding effort.
"Even though he was sick, he knew he had to get help for Wendy."

Jack’s actions sparked a media frenzy on Friday afternoon with not only local media outlets vying for his comments but also metropolitan papers keen to find out more about the brave bush kid.

But Jack simply stated the he had only done what anyone else would have done.

"There were three ditches on the [dirt] road that were not that far apart," Jack recalled.

"The first one wasn’t that bad, we dodged the second one, but the third one was hard to see and we hit it.
"We went side ways over the table drain, then we were airborne and hit a tree.
"It felt like I was dreaming.
"When I woke up, I don’t remember much, I was winded pretty badly.
"Wendy opened her eyes and said, ‘Go and get help, the turnoff is not that far away’.
"She was in a fair bit of pain and stuck behind the steering wheel.
"I had never been there [‘Noonbah’] before.
"I got to the turn off, but I didn’t know how far the house was, I just kept running.
"It got a bit hot so I took my jacket off and just chucked it on the ground, I couldn’t be bothered carrying it.
"I got to the house and told them about Wendy."

The Royal Flying Doctor Service, Queensland Rural Fire Service, police and ambulance officers all responded to the accident, something which paramedic Brian Masters said is indicative of communities in Western Queensland.

"You could really see the community spirit rally around Jack and Wendy that day," Mr Masters said.

Since Jack’s mum and dad were away, his aunty Susan Glasson was by his side after the accident and was naturally very proud of the youngster and his uncompromising act of bravery.

"He reacted very sensibly considering the conditions," Mrs Glasson said.

"He was surrounded by bushland and didn’t know where he was going, but that’s just Jack, he gets on with the job that needs doing.
"He’s a good boy and we are thankful that they both got out of the accident in reasonable shape."

Based in Byron Bay, Wendy Blumson is part of the Volunteers for Isolated Education (VISE) scheme and regularly travels the remote regions of Western Queensland, helping parents to educate their children.

"Not only is Wendy a great help to people in the district, she is also a great friend and quite well-known," Mrs Glasson said.

"We wish her all the best with her recovery."

Mrs Blumson was transported to Townsville Hospital by the RFDS, and is reported to be in a stable condition.