Tairāwhiti rescue chopper jobs up nearly 20%

The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter and Fire and Emergency NZ (Wairoa and Nuhaka) teams attended a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 2 at Nuhaka in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Tairawhiti’s rescue helicopter service has continued the trend of increasing activity with an upswing of nearly 20% in reportable flights for the first half of this year.

From January 1 to June 30 the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team recorded 261 reportable flights.

That was made up of 188 completed missions, 52 training sessions and 21 flights for other reasons like ferrying or maintenance.

It was an increase of just over 19% on the 219 flights recorded for the same period in 2023.

In additional data – and perhaps due to more settled weather conditions – the team declined just 32 mission requests in the six months to the end of June - down from 45 in the same period in 2023.

“Records of the ever-increasing volume of missions reminds us of the indispensable role this asset plays for our community and the incredible job our team does,” Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust chair Patrick Willock said.

“Even though we have not faced the same weather challenges we did in 2023, there are still many people in remote or isolated locations that need help and the team is there for them.”

While the team are in the midst of their traditional mid-winter slowdown, they successfully completed four missions in the seven days from Monday, July 8.

July 9, 1.30pm: Patient in serious condition after suffering a medical event was transferred from Gisborne to Waikato Hospital.

July 10, 3pm: Medical event at Ruatōria where the onboard critical care flight paramedic assessed and treated the patient, who was flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

July 13, 5am: Motor vehicle accident on State Highway 2, at Nūhaka, where a vehicle rolled down a 10-metre bank. Patient flown in serious condition to Gisborne Hospital.

July 14, 8.20pm: Medical event at Te Puia Springs Hospital. Patient flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.