Busy year for rescue copter crew
Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter in 754 missions
The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter has concluded another successful year, carrying out a total of 754 missions in 2023. These missions included over 400 inter-hospital transfers, more than 100 medical missions, 77 rural or remote incidents, 47 motor vehicle accidents, six rescues and 93 other missions.
Among the hospitals, Rotorua Hospital topped the list for the most missions with 70, followed closely by Waikato Hospital with 67.
Thames Hospital received 65 missions transporting patients to other hospitals, while Taumarunui Hospital had 55.
In the Coromandel region, Whangamatā and Whitianga had 15 missions each.
March was the busiest month of the year, with 75 life-saving missions completed.
Five of these missions took place in Waihī, all involving patients who had suffered serious medical events.
One incident involved a teenage male who experienced seizures after swimming at Waihī Beach.
The patient was airlifted to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter completed more than 70 missions to rural or remote places throughout last year, providing vital emergency medical assistance to those in need.
These missions largely involved hiking injuries, motorbike injuries and skiing injuries.
One mission took place in August when a teenage girl fell from her motocross bike at high speed in Taharua Forest.
The patient had sustained serious leg injuries and was flown to Taupō Hospital for further treatment.
Another significant rural mission occurred in September when the rescue helicopter responded to an emergency call at Tūroa Ski Field.
A young boy had suffered multiple serious injuries after falling while skiing. The patient was transported to Waikato Hospital, where he received further treatment.
The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was involved in six rescue missions last year, with two of them taking place in Pureora Forest.
In a recent mission in October, a male hunter in his 60s sustained a minor leg injury after falling on uneven ground while he was out hunting with his dog.
Fortunately he activated his personal locator beacon and the rescue helicopter was dispatched soon afterward.
On arrival at the scene, the crew located the patient thanks to his tactic of climbing up a tree and shaking it until they spotted him.
Realising the location made for a complex extraction, the crew decided a winch was the safest option for the patient.
A crew member was winched down to prepare the patient and his dog for the extraction.
After successfully winching up the patient and his canine companion, the rescue helicopter landed in a nearby clearing along the road close to the patient’s vehicle.
The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter responded to 47 motor vehicle accidents throughout the year.
January brought the greatest number of MVA missions, with the majority happening in the Coromandel Peninsula area.
One mission occurred in Thames, where a male in his 60s had sustained multiple serious trauma injuries after his tractor had rolled, crushing him.
The rescue helicopter crew were able to land at the scene and stabilise the patient before he was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
The rescue helicopter service has been serving the Waikato, King Country and Coromandel for many years.
This iconic service operates 24/7, 365 days a year, with a dedicated crew of highly trained pilots, crewmen and critical-care flight paramedics who provide timely and life-saving assistance when it matters most.
The helicopter service relies on community support and donations to ensure rescue crews can continue to deliver vital emergency services.
You can donate to Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter at give.rescue.org.nz/event/ waikato-westpac-rescuehelicopter/donate