Rescue helicopter’s mammoth year
It’s been another challenging year for the region’s rescue helicopter service. Jessica Long reports.
The Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter has just completed its busiest year, flying more than 500 rescue missions in 2016.
Over the last decade the helicopter callouts have surged from an average of around 135 missions. Last year it flew 531, the most in its 25-year history, and up 7.3 per cent from the 495 flown in 2015.
The highest number of missions in 2016 were for medical emergencies at 258, followed by outdoor accidents at 205.
Crews, including St John ambulance paramedics, flew to 39 motor vehicle crashes and 34 mountainbike accidents.
Among the notable rescues last year were plucking tourists from a windswept rock ledge off Wharariki beach, a hi-tech nighttime rescue of two hunters whose vehicle plunged 15-metres down a cliff and ferrying emergency crews to Kaikoura after November’s earthquake.
Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter general manager Paula Muddle said accidents on the top of the South’s many outdoor tramping tracks and bike trails had become a more common occurrence as they drew increasing numbers.
The extra missions have created an heavier financial burden for the self-funded charitable trust that relies largely on grants and public support. At $3500 per mission the chopper needs to raise more than $1.8 million every year to continue meeting its only goal – to save lives. Muddle said not only had 2016 been the most demanding for rescues, but it was also the hardest year to raise funds.
She said at times the trust feared the public had grown accustomed to the sight of the white, red and blue chopper flying above them at least twice a day. She wanted to remind the public about the importance of their continued financial support.
However, evidence of the organisation’s priority for the top of the south was showcased when the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter reached a quarter of a century milestone in May.
Muddle said 25 years of operation would not be possible without the community’s help who were the ‘‘real heroes’’ behind the organisation.
She said the trust was fortunate to have had the community raise $232,000 to buy a new winch for the chopper early last year that is used in one in 10 missions.
‘‘As we get busier, we need more funding, we need more crew and equipment to cater for wear and tear [of] helmets, harnesses, vests and key safety equipment. We can’t offer a world-class service with shoddy equipment.’’
‘‘We also want to keep on top of technological advances to have the appropriate tools for the appropriate job.’’
Rescue Helicopter crew member Carl Babe said summer was the busiest time and they were prepared for an even busier year in 2017.
He said that meant ‘‘some pretty long days and nights’’. ’’It doesn’t just stop when the sun goes down. The jobs keep coming and we keep going.’’
Babe said the trust ran a ‘‘pretty lean ship’’ but they coped with the demand. ‘‘But as demand increases it will be something that needs to be monitored.’’
Looking back on the year Babe said the busiest days were January 29 and November 14 when they were called out on six missions. The stand-outs however were jobs that had a positive result.
Babe said the number of jobs did mean some of his days blurred.
He was part of the chopper’s 34 winch operations, attended four call-outs to people suffering anaphylaxis from wasp stings and attended many vehicle, mountainbike and tramping rescues.
‘‘I have a real sense of pride in being able to support the helicopter trust and help grow it. It’s a community asset.’’