The Hawke's Bay rescue helicopter on the landing pad at Porangahau, built by locals to improve health and safety for emergency callouts to the coastal community. Photo / Supplied
The Hawke's Bay rescue helicopter on the landing pad at Porangahau, built by locals to improve health and safety for emergency callouts to the coastal community. Photo / Supplied
A community initiative to build a new concrete landing pad for the rescue helicopter in Porangahau has already proved its worth during a callout this week.
Earlier this month members of the Central Hawke's Bay community got together to build and fence the new landing pad, following long-time health andsafety concerns about the sheep and mud in the White Domain landing spot.
Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust general manager Ian Wilmot said the improved landing pad came into its own at about 8pm on Tuesday this week when the service was called to a female patient suffering a medical event that required urgent transport to Hawke's Bay Hospital for treatment.
"Our pilot and crewman had one word for it – 'brilliant'.
"The rugby ground, outside of the designated landing pad, was wet and boggy and would have been unsuitable for landing, so the new landing pad has already proven its worth."
