An older BK117 which is one of the rescue helicopters servicing the Coromandel, at Cathedral Cove.
An older BK117 which is one of the rescue helicopters servicing the Coromandel, at Cathedral Cove.
Years of fundraising and a promise not to drop the Coromandel as a base for critical helicopter rescue services are in vain as for the first time in many years there is no helicopter in Whitianga over summer.
Historically 30 per cent of Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust's summer missions are to the Coromandel.
"Health Minister David Clark gave assurances last year services would not be reduced, but now the Coromandel Rescue Helicopter Trust's community funded and purpose built hanger in Whitianga is empty," said Coromandel MP Scott Simpson.
"Lives are at risk. Instead of having a fully trained flight crew with paramedics and a rescue helicopter here over the summer peak, we're being told machines from as far away as Tauranga, Hamilton or Auckland may be deployed if there is a need.
"That's very cold comfort to car accident victims, heart attack patients or others on the Coromandel Peninsula who may need urgent and quick access to a rescue helicopter."
An older BK117 which is one of the rescue helicopters servicing the Coromandel, at Cathedral Cove.
A Government Health spokeswoman said under previous arrangements, the Coromandel Peninsula had four air ambulances that responded to callouts and it now has eight.
"Despite not having an air ambulance physically based in Whitianga, the residents there should feel reassured that there are highly capable helicopters nearby, and robust processes in place to clinically assess and respond to their medical issues."
The Air Desk has oversight of pre-hospital air ambulance callouts. The flight time from the Ardmore base to Whitianga would be 20 minutes and flight time from Whitianga to Auckland DHB would be 25 minutes.
"[The Air Desk] knows where the closest and most appropriate air ambulance assets are. Decisions about which helicopter is best to respond, and where the patient should be taken, are determined by a range of factors including the type of injury/illness, flight time, DHB capability, and the patient's residence."
Providers do not have exclusive operational boundaries, which means they can operate within each other's region.
ARHT acting chief executive Michelle Boag said patients would not be compromised.
"While the decision has been made not to base a helicopter at Whitianga this summer, the trust will continue providing its full service to the Coromandel community from our Ardmore base," said Boag.
"While we wish everyone a safe summer, patients needing our help will benefit from significantly upgraded clinical standards of care. This includes the introduction of two medical staff on board every flight and the recent introduction of two brand new Leonardo AW169 rescue helicopters."
Thames-Coromandel mayor Sandra Goudie said she learnt of the decision from an announcement by Simpson. She said it had been cut when there were two additional helicopters now available.
"I cannot understand why they didn't come to an agreement about having a permanent helicopter when we get 150,000 people at this time of year and close to half a million over the peak period.
"Why wouldn't you, when you have got so many callouts?"
The service was considered vital to residents with the population swelling to almost 500,000 over the peak summer period.
The Coromandel community fundraised to create a four-bedroom house for staff and a hangar with associated rooms and two landing pads out front.
A helicopter was stationed at this Whitianga base for a number of years, and when contracts went up for renewal by the Government and questions were raised about the continuation of the base at Whitianga, a furore followed.
Locals rallied and a petition of 8500 signatures was delivered to Parliament in July 2018 by Coromandel Rescue Helicopter Trust chairman Walter Russell and trustee Brian Bowering.
"We've been completely let down by the Labour Government who promised there would be no reduction to rescue helicopter services for the Coromandel Peninsula, but here we are this summer without a much-needed machine and crew based in Whitianga," said Simpson, who received the petition on the steps of Parliament 18 months ago.
"Local people are feeling angry and vulnerable at what is their busiest time of year."
Goudie said at a recent Pauanui volunteer night, $8000 was given for the service as an example of local generosity to keep the service.
"It's absolutely critical that whatever service we have is going to get people the medical attention they need and the key thing is the 'golden hour' for medical care, which has now been reduced to a half-hour.
"To get to Hamilton from Port Charles or Whitianga and load someone out really is compromising that timeframe."
"The people of Coromandel have always given generously in fundraising efforts to support a locally based service over the summer," Simpson said.
"David Clark needs to take a break from his holiday and issue an instruction to have a helicopter relocated back to Whitianga this week."
FACTBOX For the month of December 2018, there were 13 air ambulance missions in Whitianga/Coromandel region. For the month of January 2019, there were 15 missions in Whitianga/Coromandel region.
