Crash survivor thanks rescuers

GRATEFUL: Kim Powers with her rescuers: Vaea Peterson (left), fire chief Wayne Robinson, Adam Stevenson, Stephen Fennell, Michael Hicks and Blaine Smith. Absent is deputy fire chief Bryan Styles.

Masterton crash victim Kim Powers owes her life to the emergency services, and wants to thank them all.

In January last year, the 25-year-old was driving to work when she crashed into a power pole near Clareville in wet conditions. The car was ripped in two.

She survived thanks to the Carterton fire crew's extrication technique and Life Flight's rescue paramedics stablising her for the flight to Wellington.

On Wednesday night, Ms Powers called into the Carterton fire station to meet the team that pulled her car apart and got her out.

The firemen had used a new method called a "time-critical technique", using chains and two fire trucks to stretch the crumpled car and remove Ms Powers.

She told the assembled parade she was "very thankful" to them for their quick professionalism.

"I just wanted to say, thank you so much - I can't thank you enough."

Ms Powers suffered a brain injury, cut legs, a broken arm and jaw and spent four weeks in a coma.

She featured in the Times-Age Westpac Chopper Appeal publication earlier this month.

She is in a wheelchair, but her goal is to walk again by August.

"I'm good but a bit tired," she said.

"I've been wanting to say thank you for a while, so I got hold of them on Facebook."

She had baked a cake for the fire crew to have after their practice night.

Carterton fire chief Wayne Robinson said they had had to haul the car away from the power pole, then use the chain technique.

"Successful stories like this are few and far between."