Missions accomplished: East Coast jobs dominate rescue chopper’s week

Tuesday’s response to Ruatōria was one of nine Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter flights to the East Coast for the week, the area dominating the team’s 11-strong mission schedule for the seven days from March 4. Picture supplied

Last week got off to a brisk start for the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter with the team carrying out three of the 11 missions completed over the seven days until Sunday.

The packed schedule of call-outs began on Monday, March 4 (10.36am) when the team flew to a farm vehicle accident at Waimata Valley, which required a hill-side landing in windy conditions.

This was followed by a medical event at Tikitiki (12.30pm) then another medical event, this time at Tolaga Bay (5.03pm).

The week continued with the following  —

March 5, 3pm: Medical event at Ruatōria;

March 6, 1pm: Trauma at Te Araroa.

March 7, 11pm: Medical event at Ruatōria.

March 8, 7pm: Medical event at Tikitiki.

March 9, 11.11am: Medical event at Tikitiki.

March 9, 5.30pm: Medical event at Ruatōria.

March 10, 10.30am: Medical event at Ruatōria.

All patients were flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital until Sunday’s 3pm mission when the team carried out an inter-region transfer, transporting a patient in critical condition from Gisborne to Waikato Hospital.

“This was a busy mission programme for the week so we’re very pleased to have our full team of 12 to ensure consistent cover 24 hours a day,” Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust chair Patrick Willock said.

“We generally say the service is on board 365 days a year but, of course, this being a Leap Year, that’s 366 days of life-saving missions they’ll be carrying out over what is shaping up to be a pretty demanding period.”