05 January 2006
ADF medical team in snowbound Kashmir

The impact on local people of the harsh winter weather of Pakistan and Kashmir is highlighting the value of continuing primary health care assistance from an Australian Defence Force medical team in the region. The team’s medical centre at the remote town of Dhanni, about 20km north-east of Muzaffarabad, on the Pakistan side of the Kashmir Line Of Control, provides vital health care assistance to victims of the 8 October 2005 South Asia earthquakes. The team is part of Australia’s contribution to an international humanitarian effort led by the Pakistan Government.

The team, of about 140 personnel, includes medical personnel, a command element, an aviation detachment and logistics and communication personnel. Four Black Hawk helicopters are deployed to provide essential transport and support tasks.

The helicopters give the ADF team the mobility to extend medical care from the central hub at Dhanni to assist a large number of people in the harsh terrain of the surrounding region who need medical attention as a result of the earthquake.

The Black Hawk detachment is primarily from the Australian Army 5th Aviation Regiment based in Townsville. The health and support personnel comprise members of the Army's logistic support force based at Randwick Barracks, Sydney; a Royal Australian Air Force primary health care team from Richmond, New South Wales; and personnel drawn from a range of units across Australia, including Reserves.

20060102adf8195319_008 These propane gas water heaters are an essential amenity in harsh winter weather conditions at the Australian Defence Force medical centre, "Camp Bradman", at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 02 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060102adf8195319_015 Clearing frozen drains and checking tent rigging has become part of daily routine due to harsh winter weather conditions at the Australian Defence Force medical centre, "Camp Bradman", at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 02 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060102adf8195319_023 Team members' washing hanging on tent guy ropes has little chance of drying as bad weather closes in at the Australian Defence Force medical centre, "Camp Bradman", at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 02 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060102adf8195319_024 Team members clear snow from tent roofs as bad weather closes in at the Australian Defence Force medical centre, "Camp Bradman", at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 02 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_001 A sunny break in the weather at the Australian Defence Force medical centre, "Camp Bradman", at Dhanni, Kashmir, after snowfalls and temperatures of minus 9 degrees. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_002 A sunny break in the weather at the Australian Defence Force medical centre, "Camp Bradman", at Dhanni, Kashmir, after snowfalls and temperatures of minus 9 degrees. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_004 Australians Wing Commander Karen Leshinskas and Private Kyle Potter team up with Pakistan defence force personnel to rehouse the local school in tents after storms and heavy snowfalls demolished temporary school rooms at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_005 Australian and Pakistan defence force personnel rehouse the local school in tents after storms and heavy snowfalls demolished temporary school rooms at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_008 Australian Private Kyle Potter (left) and Lance Corporal Akram (right) of the Pakistan Army help to rehouse the local school after storms and heavy snowfalls demolished temporary school rooms at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_009 Private Kyle Potter (left), Lance Corporal Akram of the Pakistan army (centre) and Lance Corporal Ryan Lock (right) help rebuild the local school after storms and heavy snowfalls demolished temporary school rooms at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_014 Local children look on as Lance Corporal Ryan Lock adjusts guy ropes on a tent erected for the school in Dhanni, Kashmir, to replace accommodation wrecked by storms and heavy snowfalls. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_015 Warrant Officer Class One Michelle Wyatt digs drainage ditches around a tent erected for the local school after storms and heavy snowfalls demolished temporary school rooms at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_017 Wing Commander Karen Leshinskas and a local boy lend a helping hand to erect tents for the local school after bad weather and heavy snowfalls wrecked temporary schoolrooms at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_019 Defence force personnel from Australia, Pakistan and the United States of America erect temporary accommodation for the school at Dhanni, Kashmir, damaged by bad weather and heavy snowfalls. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_020 Watched by a little boy, Australian and Pakistan defence force personnel rebuild the local school wrecked by bad weather and heavy snowfalls at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_022 Villagers of Dhanni, Kashmir, watch as Australian and Pakistan defence force personnel erect accommodation for the local school after bad weather and heavy snowfalls wrecked earlier temporary schoolrooms. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_024 Children of Dhanni, Kashmir, are all smiles seeing temporary accommodation for their school being erected by Australian and Pakistan defence force personnel after bad weather and heavy snowfalls. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_025 A small boy shivers in the cold, watching as Australian and Pakistan defence force personnel rig tents for the local school at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_032 Salvaging what they can, Australian and Pakistan defence force personnel rig tents for the local school after bad weather and heavy snowfalls demolished temporary school rooms at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_036 Private Kyle Potter (top left) Warrant Officer Class Two Michelle Wyatt (bottom left) Lance Corporal Akram (top right) of the Pakistan Army and Lance Corporal Ryan Lock (bottom right) rig a tent for the local school after storms and heavy snowfalls demolished temporary school rooms at Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_040 Landslides sheared this mountain slope near the Australian Defence Force camp in Dhanni, Kashmir, after bad weather and heavy snowfalls. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_041 Mountains around the Australian Defence Force medical team camp at Dhanni, Kashmir, following heavy snowfalls. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_052 Corporal Glen Parker (shovelling) Sergeant Darren O'Connell (with pick) and Corporal Adrian Miller clear drains during a break in the weather at Camp Bradman near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_053 Air Force Sergeant Marie Brown does maintenance work after snow and heavy rain at Camp Bradman near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res
20060103adf8195319_054 Sergeant Marie Brown (digging) and Corporal Daniel Nia (foreground) repair drainage ditches during a break in the weather at Camp Bradman near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res	20060103adf8195319_055 Lieutenant Colonel Geoff Matthews and Captain Mathew Carroll 'dig in' during routine camp maintenance to clear drains after heavy rain and snow falls at Camp Bradman near Dhanni, Kashmir. (Date taken: 03 January 2006) Low-Res | Hi-Res