By Ron Lane
It was in October 2011 that Scott Summers first walked through the doors of the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club, signed the necessary papers and commenced training for his bronze medallion. Prior to that the month of August had been, to put it politely for the Summers family, one hell of a month.
“During that month in one period of 72 hours, I spent the most hectic time of my life: I obtained a new job, signed the necessary papers ,enrolled the kids in St. Thomas More, bought a house and then returned to base and resigned my commission as a Major in the Australian Army.”
Now after some 19 years that can only be termed as a very successful career in lifesaving, Scott will take his family, wife Kathryn, son Liam and daughter Sophie, and travel to South Australia where he will commence a new career flying a Blackhawk helicopter with Aerotech Helicopters for the purpose of fire- fighting.
He commenced his military career in August 1991and after finishing basic training he was posted to the 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment as an infantry paratrooper. This was to be an army career that was somewhat unique: he joined the ranks as a private and on the day of his resignation held the rank of Major. “This sometimes became something of a help amongst the diggers as they realised, starting as a private and finishing as a major, I would have been through some tough times. I remember,” he said with a laugh, “during basic training as a paratrooper, we were young and a bit scared, and we jumped with our eyes closed; so we referred to these as our night jumps.”
“It was in 95, that being good with my hands and wanting to learn more, I transferred to RAEME as an aircraft technician, working on engines and airframes of helicopters. His next step was in 98 when he was required to pass selection tests. A pass would enable him to commence training as an SSO (Special Services Officer) Army helicopter piolet; and in this he was successful. “There were 22 sat and only 9 passed: it gave us something to be proud of.”
Then came many more months of advanced training: first at Tamworth, then Canberra and it was there that in 99, he met Kathryn his future wife. This was followed by a further six months of training for operational conversion to the Blackhawk. As you can imagine this was very full on– -all up we did a total of eighteen months; that’s how it had to be.” Then after a short time in Townsville he was deployed on his first tour of duty in East Timor. “This was to be the first of several deployments (2000-2005) to East Timor and P N G for peace keeping. East Timor was really good for we experienced altitude training and what it was like to fly Blackhawks.”
Then came 2006 and the month of August– it was the big one. Afghanistan. “There we were working for five months at our base camp in Kandahar. There were troops from all nations: Americans, Dutch, Canadians and many others, all working for a common goal. One mission, involving Australian Chinooks, American Blackhawks and Apache helicopters and multiple fixed wing air support, was given to me to plan. Our mission was to remove a person of high value: it was a success and as a result I was given an American flag that was on the dash of one of the Chinooks used in the mission. I still have it as a prized possession : a great example of team work at its best.”
In 2007 he was back in Australia and stationed in Sydney with the rank of Captain. Following this another posting, where there was and probably still is, a high level of compliance and readiness: “understandably, all is highly confidential.” Then in 2011 it became time for the now Major Scott Summer, to think family. On joining Sunshine Beach Surf club, he settled in quickly because he saw three similar virtues: loyalty service and mateship.
During his years in Sunshine the most memorable would have to be 2016/17, for as he explains, “Everything seemed to happen.” In 2016 he was awarded the Clive Hammond Silver Medal, 2017 the Clive Hammond Gold (both for outstanding service.) Also, in 17 he won the Queensland Support Officer of the Year and this was followed by the outstanding double; both Queensland and Australian Life Saver of the Year. “However, I finished the year with a thud for I suffered a major stroke: happy to say all is now back to normal.”
For Scott this new career, will be an interesting challenge. ‘’For one” he said, “we will be flying the famous Blackhawk helicopter with firebombing water tanks attached underneath. This Blackhawk will be the first in Australia to be privately owned: all others have been on a leasing agreement from the USA.
Also of major interest the fire-bombing tanks, now known as the Halite Fire Tanks which have now been successfully marketed in the USA, were designed and successfully manufactured in the Helitak factory at Leo Road Noosaville. This is something that all our community should take pride.”
When we consider the massive loss of life and property during recent bushfires the importance of the work done by Jason Schellaars and his team at Helatik factory should be fully acknowledged. Once again one of our people have shown what can be achieved when our people, in this case, army lifesavers and manufacturers, work together to achieve their common cause.
