Early Sunday call-out completes chopper’s week

After a mission to the East Coast in the early hours of Sunday morning, the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter landed at Gisborne Hospital just after 4.20am. It was one of four times the chopper crew were called out during the seven days. Picture supplied

Sunday saw an early start for the Trust Tairāwhiti Rescue Helicopter, whose final mission of the week was a 2.30am call-out to a trauma at Ruatoria.

The patient was flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

The team completed four other missions for the flying week of December 4 to December 10.

Last Wednesday at midday the team responded to a medical event at Te Kaha, with the patient flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

The following day the team stepped up to transfer a victim of a motor vehicle accident from Gisborne to Waikato Hospital.

As they were off-base from early afternoon, missions to Tokomaru and Waihau bays were covered by an out-of-zone rescue helicopter.

On Saturday at 10.30am, the team were dispatched to Ruatoria for a medical event, with the patient flown in a stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

In a quick turnaround the team  returned to Ruatoria two hours later, this time in response to a trauma.

The patient was again flown to Gisborne Hospital in stable condition.