Lake Waikaremoana to Tolaga Bay: Summer surge for rescue helicopter

Missions to Tolaga Bay (pictured), Lake Waikaremoana and jobs further afield flying to Ōpōtiki and hospitals elsewhere have kept the district's rescue chopper team busy so far in this summer season. Photo / Supplied

It has been a busy start to the summer season for the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter, with missions to Tolaga Bay, Lake Waikaremoana, Ōpōtiki and multiple inter-hospital transfers..

Eastland Rescue Helicopter pilot and base manager Shaun Stewart said summer traditionally meant an increase in rescue callouts.

“With schools winding down for the year and people spending more time outdoors enjoying the sunshine, we often see a wide variety of incidents,” he said.

Recently, the rescue crew responded to an incident involving a school trip at Lake Waikaremoana.

Clear skies allowed the team to arrive swiftly, assess and treat the patient, and transport them directly to Waikato Hospital.

The crew also attended a farming incident in Waingake, where the patient was assessed and treated by the on-board critical care paramedic before being flown to Gisborne Hospital in a stable condition.

Trust Tairawhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter flew to Waingake in response to a farming incident (pictured) and the patient was flown to Gisborne Hospital. Photo / Supplied

A medical event in Ōpōtiki required urgent response, with the patient treated and flown to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition.

Last weekend, the team was dispatched to a trauma incident in Tolaga Bay.

The patient was assessed, treated and transported to Gisborne Hospital, also in a critical condition.

“Saving time means saving lives,” Stewart said.

“Minutes matter, and we’ve got a great crew who are ready for action 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”