Two-thirds of lives lost on South Australian roads were in crashes in regional areas, according to 2025 SA Police statistics. We often think about these crash victims and their families, friends and communities, but what about the first responders who attend these horrific scenes?
Words: Jeremy Rochow
The Royal Flying Doctor Service SA/NT (RFDS) airlifts an average of 15 South Australians every day in remote or rural locations. Reasons range from a patient transfer at a small regional hospital, to a serious crash on a rural road where vehicle occupants may have life-threatening injuries.
RFDS Retrieval Consultant Dr Rose Skalicky plays an important role in saving lives when there's a crash in rural or outback SA. Rose, who has been working with the RFDS since 2021, says rescue teams face several challenges when attending a roadside crash.
"From a medical point of view, getting to the crash site in time is a challenge," she says. "We'd love to be there as soon as possible, but there's going to be a time lag where patients may not have received treatment except first-aid, which can still be lifesaving."
When attending a crash, the RFDS team usually needs to land at a nearby airstrip, unload their equipment and drive to the scene in a ute or four-wheel-drive.
Once they arrive on the scene of a road crash, Rose's team is tasked with stabilising the patient, or even performing life-saving emergency procedures, before transporting them to hospital.
"As you can imagine, the roadside isn't a clean hospital environment and we have a lot of environmental challenges to negotiate," Rose says.
"The flies, insects and even rain can be full-on, and we only travel with a flight nurse, doctor and pilot, so we're a tight team that works together, and sometimes we need bystanders to assist."
The RFDS works alongside other emergency services, including the Country Fire Service (CFS), SA Police and State Emergency Service, when helping road crash victims.
Lobethal CFS Brigade Captain Jason Draper says the CFS Road Crash Rescue team undertakes intensive training to ensure they can work seamlessly with other emergency services.
"Crews work well with other services because they're well drilled, experienced, knowledgeable and efficient," Jason says. "This benefits the patient, so we can quickly extricate people and get them mobilised towards medical care and ensures we're aware of hazards we might encounter."
The Lobethal CFS Brigade can attend some confronting road crashes when working in the Adelaide Hills. Due to being based in a tight-knit regional centre, there is the potential for crews to attend crashes where they know the victim.
"On arrival at a scene, if you see the car of someone you know, it can absolutely have an impact and potentially an ongoing one as well," Jason says.
"That's where things like SPAM (Stress Prevention and Management) services come into it with counselling so we can talk things out with a professional. We're also really close here at Lobethal and debrief after each callout."
People like Tony Hudson, who crashed his vehicle in 2023 while crossing the Nullarbor. A large kangaroo collided with his car, causing Tony to lose control of the vehicle.
On arrival, the RFDS determined that Tony had life-threatening injuries and critical care procedures were the only way to save his life. They treated a collapsed lung and other critical injuries before anaesthetising and intubating him for the three-hour flight to Adelaide.
Tony says if it wasn't for the RFDS, he would've died from the injuries he sustained in the crash.
"Hearing about the nurses and doctors basically operating on me on the road with all the dirt, dust, cars going by at high speeds, I can't believe that," he says.
"This was out in the middle of nowhere and people came from everywhere to help. It wasn't one or two people, it was a whole group. I thank every single one of them – I can't put it into words."
RFDS Retrieval Consultant Dr Rose Skalicky plays an important role in saving lives when there's a crash in rural or outback SA. Rose, who has been working with the RFDS since 2021, says rescue teams face several challenges when attending a roadside crash.
"From a medical point of view, getting to the crash site in time is a challenge," she says. "We'd love to be there as soon as possible, but there's going to be a time lag where patients may not have received treatment except first-aid, which can still be lifesaving."
When attending a crash, the RFDS team usually needs to land at a nearby airstrip, unload their equipment and drive to the scene in a ute or four-wheel-drive.
Once they arrive on the scene of a road crash, Rose's team is tasked with stabilising the patient, or even performing life-saving emergency procedures, before transporting them to hospital.
"As you can imagine, the roadside isn't a clean hospital environment and we have a lot of environmental challenges to negotiate," Rose says.
"The flies, insects and even rain can be full-on, and we only travel with a flight nurse, doctor and pilot, so we're a tight team that works together, and sometimes we need bystanders to assist."
RAA's Community Impact Fund
Last year, RAA launched its new $5 million Community Impact Fund to support grassroots organisations, regional community initiatives, and new partnerships across South Australia – with a strong focus on road safety.
In December 2025, RAA announced it would increase its support to the CFS Foundation to help fund the CFS Road Crash Rescue Training Program. Providing specialist casualty care skills for CFS volunteers, the program helps the CFS purchase critical tools and upgrade equipment needed for vehicle extrication.
RAA's also supporting the RFDS simulator – a vital tool for training aeromedical staff and showcasing the life-saving work of the RFDS across South Australia.
To find out more about the great work these organisations do, visit cfsfoundation.org.au and flyingdoctor.org.au
Images: RAA/Mike Lockheart; RFDS.
