Two helicopters were used to get a critically injured man to hospital today.
The Waikato based Westpac Rescue Helicopter has just returned from a challenging rescue involving a train and a digger at Raurimu Spiral, just north of National Park, and two rescue helicopters.
A man was reportedly operating a digger on the main trunk railway line at the Raurimu Spiral when a
train is believed to have collided with his machine. The man has suffered critical injuries.
St John staff were able to extract the man and transport him to Chateau Airport near National Park to meet the Taupo Greenlea Rescue Helicopter, which was unable to land at the scene due to very poor weather.
While waiting for the patient the initiative was taken, due to the poor weather and critical nature of the mans injury's, to mobilise an A-Zero team from Waikato Hospital with an emergency department doctor and intensive care paramedic on board. They flew to meet the Greenlea helicopter, which by this time had made it north to Turangi.
The two helicopters landed and the team were able to perform interventions on the ground to stabilise the man. He was then flown north-west to Waikato Hospital.
