July was a busy month for the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter crew, who carried out 38 life-saving missions across the Lakes and Central Plateau region. Photo / Louise Knight
The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter had a busy month in July, with the crew carrying out 38 missions across the Lakes and Central Plateau region.
The missions included 14 inter-hospital transfers, three medical emergencies, one rescue, 10 rural or farm-related incidents and one motor vehicle accident.
The crew carried out seven inter-hospital transfers at Rotorua Hospital and five at Taupō Hospital.
Tūroa Ski Field saw two missions, Kaimanawa Forest saw one rescue and Whakarewarewa Forest (The Redwoods) saw one incident requiring a winch rescue.
The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter’s first mission of the month went to Rotorua Hospital where the crew tended to a female in her 50s who was suffering from a medical condition. The patient was transported to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
On Friday evening, July 5, the helicopter was tasked to Kinloch for a female in her teens who sustained serious injuries after being involved in an MVA. The patient was transported to Rotorua Hospital for further treatment.
The following morning, the helicopter was dispatched to Kaimanawa Forrest for a male in 60s who sustained injuries after a fall while hunting. The patient was transported to Taupō Hospital for further treatment.
On Sunday morning, July 7, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Reporoa for a male in his teens who sustained serious injuries. The patient was swiftly flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
Later that afternoon, the helicopter was dispatched to Tūroa Ski Field for a male in his 20s who sustained fracture injuries after a fall while skiing. The patient was transported to Rotorua Hospital for further treatment.
On Monday evening, July 8, the helicopter was tasked to Tūroa Ski Field for a young male who was suffering from an asthma attack. The patient was transported to Rotorua Hospital for further treatment.
On Saturday morning, July 13, the helicopter was tasked to Iwikau Village for a female in her 50s who was suffering from a medical condition. The patient was transported to Rotorua Hospital for further treatment.
Later that afternoon, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Murupara for a female in her 30s who was experiencing an anaphylactic reaction. The patient was swiftly flown to Rotorua Hospital for further treatment.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, July 14, the helicopter was dispatched to Oruanui for a male in his 80s who was suffering from a medical event. The patient was swiftly transported to Waikato Hospital to receive further treatment.
On Wednesday afternoon, July 17, the helicopter was tasked to Waiotaka Valley for a male in his 80s who was experiencing a medical event. The patient was transported to Rotorua Hospital for further treatment.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, July 21, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Desert Rd for a patient in their 20s who sustained a dislocated elbow after a large fall. The patient was transported to Taupō Hospital for further treatment.
On Thursday morning, July 25, the helicopter was tasked to Tūrangi for a female in her 60s who was suffering from a medical event. The patient was flown to Rotorua Hospital for further treatment.
The following afternoon, the helicopter was dispatched to Desert Rd for a male in his 20s who sustained injuries while hunting. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
On Saturday afternoon, July 27, the helicopter was tasked to Rotorua Hospital for a female in her 80s who was suffering from a serious cardiac event. The patient was swiftly flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
The month ended with the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter being dispatched to Whakarewarewa Forrest (the Redwoods) for a male in his 30s who sustained serious injuries after falling while mountain biking downhill. Due to the remote location, the patient required extraction via winch. The CCFP was first lowered to the patient, where they treated his injuries before preparing him to be extracted in a stretcher. The patient was then transported to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter is one of four community helicopters supported by the Philips Search & Rescue Trust (PSRT).
The trust was founded in 1985 after an endowment by Philips New Zealand to mark a light aircraft accident near Tūrangi in which two Philips personnel lost their lives.
The Westpac (Waikato, King Country, Coromandel), Aerocool (Bay of Plenty coastal region), Greenlea (Lake’s region, Central Plateau) and Grassroots Trust (Manawatū-Whanganui) rescue helicopters provide air, health and rescue services free of charge to the public and therefore rely on donations from the public.
People can donate to their local rescue helicopter online.