Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 16, 2015 15:08:14 GMT 12
This story is a few weeks old but I just spotted it and I think some here would be interested to read about a former RNZAF Gulf War veteran:
Gulf War veteran calm under fire despite home explosion
CARYN WIGMORE
Last updated 10:17, May 28 2015
Burns victim Paul Robinson recovers from his injuries.
Gulf War veteran Paul Robinson seriously scorched his arms, legs and face when an outdoor scrub fire detonated around him at his Waimauku home in Auckland.
The former Whenuapai-based aircraft engineer drew on military experience to stay calm when his right arm was engulfed in flames, receiving second degree burns.
"As soon as I saw my arm was on fire I hit the deck and rolled straight away," Robinson, 46, says.
Burns victim Paul Robinson recovers from his injuries.
Supplied
"It was a bit of a shock but certainly I'm not the sort of person that panics," the ex serviceman says.
"I've been in stress situations before. You just have to keep your head together."
3-year-old daughter Olive was standing on the side of the paddock and "she saw me catch on fire."
Robinson's wife Justine was inside the house when she heard windows rattle from the blast and came running.
Robinson dashed straight to the shower and stood under running water for 30 minutes while his wife called emergency services.
"Dropping on the ground and standing in the shower for so long did the world of good."
His terrified daughter cried as he stood dousing the burns "but she is fine now," he says.
"It's a good lesson for her to learn not to play with fire."
The Auckland Westpac Rescue helicopter flew Robinson to the Middlemore Hospital burns centre where he had two operations including a skin graft on his right arm.
"They took a slice of skin from my right thigh which was pretty painful in itself."
Robinson is now back home nursing his injuries, grateful to have survived.
"I think it could've been a heck of a lot worse," says.
"I could have fallen into the fire because I was standing right next to it. I was a very lucky boy."
HOW IT HAPPENED
On May 3, Robinson prepared to burn a small pile of pruned palm tree branches about 1pm.
He poured some petrol onto the scrub for an accelerant and tried unsuccessfully to light some scrunched newspaper.
"I went in there with a lighter and it exploded in a big vapour flash.
"The vapour ignited around me so I was engulfed in flames."
"It was just a momentary lapse of concentration for someone who should have known better."
Robinson wants to warn people to be aware of fire risks.
"You get complacent sometimes and I think it's always making sure you're mindful of what dangers are around.
"It doesn't matter how experienced you are or how careful you are- but accidents can happen so easily."
TRAINING PAID OFF
Robinson learned to keep his wits about him when he served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force 40 squadron at Whenuapai airbase.
In 1991 during the first Gulf War he flew troops and munitions to the front to support the coalition after Saddam Hussein had invaded Kuwait.
In 1990 and 1991 the RNZAF deployed two Hercules and personnel to the Gulf War where they operated as part of a composite RAF Hercules squadron.
Robinson with fellow Royal New Zealand Airforce crew members flew different sorties on Hercules aircraft from their base at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia .
They dodged relentless scud missile fire above the airport.
Patriot missiles were set up around the airport perimeter and being inaccurate, would fire in any direction, he says.
"Pretty much every night something would get fired but we didn't know which night it would be in our direction.
"We'd get in our Nuclear Biological Chemical suits and hunker down in the basement."
An NBC suit is military personal equipment designed to protect against direct contact with contamination by radioactive, biological or chemical substances.
Robinson escaped injury during the perilous four months he dropped supplies to forward airbases and serviced aircraft.
"I waited until I came back home to do something silly."
- Stuff.co.nz
www.stuff.co.nz/national/68843167/gulf-war-veteran-calm-under-fire-despite-home-explosion
Gulf War veteran calm under fire despite home explosion
CARYN WIGMORE
Last updated 10:17, May 28 2015
Burns victim Paul Robinson recovers from his injuries.
Gulf War veteran Paul Robinson seriously scorched his arms, legs and face when an outdoor scrub fire detonated around him at his Waimauku home in Auckland.
The former Whenuapai-based aircraft engineer drew on military experience to stay calm when his right arm was engulfed in flames, receiving second degree burns.
"As soon as I saw my arm was on fire I hit the deck and rolled straight away," Robinson, 46, says.
Burns victim Paul Robinson recovers from his injuries.
Supplied
"It was a bit of a shock but certainly I'm not the sort of person that panics," the ex serviceman says.
"I've been in stress situations before. You just have to keep your head together."
3-year-old daughter Olive was standing on the side of the paddock and "she saw me catch on fire."
Robinson's wife Justine was inside the house when she heard windows rattle from the blast and came running.
Robinson dashed straight to the shower and stood under running water for 30 minutes while his wife called emergency services.
"Dropping on the ground and standing in the shower for so long did the world of good."
His terrified daughter cried as he stood dousing the burns "but she is fine now," he says.
"It's a good lesson for her to learn not to play with fire."
The Auckland Westpac Rescue helicopter flew Robinson to the Middlemore Hospital burns centre where he had two operations including a skin graft on his right arm.
"They took a slice of skin from my right thigh which was pretty painful in itself."
Robinson is now back home nursing his injuries, grateful to have survived.
"I think it could've been a heck of a lot worse," says.
"I could have fallen into the fire because I was standing right next to it. I was a very lucky boy."
HOW IT HAPPENED
On May 3, Robinson prepared to burn a small pile of pruned palm tree branches about 1pm.
He poured some petrol onto the scrub for an accelerant and tried unsuccessfully to light some scrunched newspaper.
"I went in there with a lighter and it exploded in a big vapour flash.
"The vapour ignited around me so I was engulfed in flames."
"It was just a momentary lapse of concentration for someone who should have known better."
Robinson wants to warn people to be aware of fire risks.
"You get complacent sometimes and I think it's always making sure you're mindful of what dangers are around.
"It doesn't matter how experienced you are or how careful you are- but accidents can happen so easily."
TRAINING PAID OFF
Robinson learned to keep his wits about him when he served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force 40 squadron at Whenuapai airbase.
In 1991 during the first Gulf War he flew troops and munitions to the front to support the coalition after Saddam Hussein had invaded Kuwait.
In 1990 and 1991 the RNZAF deployed two Hercules and personnel to the Gulf War where they operated as part of a composite RAF Hercules squadron.
Robinson with fellow Royal New Zealand Airforce crew members flew different sorties on Hercules aircraft from their base at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia .
They dodged relentless scud missile fire above the airport.
Patriot missiles were set up around the airport perimeter and being inaccurate, would fire in any direction, he says.
"Pretty much every night something would get fired but we didn't know which night it would be in our direction.
"We'd get in our Nuclear Biological Chemical suits and hunker down in the basement."
An NBC suit is military personal equipment designed to protect against direct contact with contamination by radioactive, biological or chemical substances.
Robinson escaped injury during the perilous four months he dropped supplies to forward airbases and serviced aircraft.
"I waited until I came back home to do something silly."
- Stuff.co.nz
www.stuff.co.nz/national/68843167/gulf-war-veteran-calm-under-fire-despite-home-explosion