Urgent pickups from Tauranga Hospital keep Waikato chopper busy

The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter had a busy December, carrying out 58 lifesaving missions. This included 34 inter-hospital transfers, eight medical events, 10 rural or farming-related incidents, five motor vehicle accidents, and one rescue mission. The helicopter was commonly seen in Putaruru, Raglan, Whangamata and Rotorua, with the most visited location being Tauranga Hospital, making up for 11 of the missions flown.

Throughout the month, 11 missions were also carried out to the Coromandel region.

The month started with the helicopter being sent to Rotorua Hospital for a man in his 20s who had been involved in a vehicle crash and was in critical condition. He was flown to Waikato Hospital. That same day, the helicopter went to Tauranga Hospital for a teenage girl who had suffered head injuries in a fall. She was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On December 3, the helicopter was dispatched to Te Kuiti for a young boy who had suffered leg injuries after falling off a motorbike. He was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On December 4, the helicopter went to Tokoroa Hospital for a man in his 70s who was suffering from seizures. He was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On December 7, the rescue helicopter transported a preterm baby from Tauranga Hospital. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On December 11, the helicopter was dispatched to Kerepehi for a man in his 30s with serious injuries after being involved in a car crash. He was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On December 20, the helicopter was dispatched to Raglan for a woman in her 30s who had serious injuries after an MVA. The woman was stabilised and airlifted to Waikato Hospital.

On Christmas eve the helicopter was sent to a small rural area south of Te Awamutu for a teenage boy with serious injuries after a motorbike accident. He was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On the evening of Christmas Day, the helicopter transported a woman in her 60s who was suffering from a critical medical event. The patient was flown from Tauranga Hospital to Waikato Hospital.

The next day, the helicopter went to Whitianga for a teenage boy who had critical injuries after falling off his motorbike.

On December 28, the helicopter was sent to Raglan for a young girl with critical injuries. She was transported to Waikato Hospital. That night, the helicopter went to Te Aroha for a man in his 80s with head injuries after falling. He was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The month ended with the helicopter being sent on New Year’s eve to Whangamata for a teenage boy who had fallen and suffered serious head injuries.