Waikato rescue helicopter had busy October despite level 3 lockdown

Our rescue helicopter clocked up 66 life-saving missions around the region in October, despite the level 3 lockdown. Photo / Supplied

Despite the latest level 3 lockdown in parts of Waikato in October, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter had a busy month carrying out a total of 66 missions to the Waikato, King Country, and surrounding areas.

Throughout the month, the rescue crew attended a total of 42 inter-hospital transfers, 13 medical events, four motor vehicle accidents, and seven rural incidents. Locations regularly visited included Thames, Rotorua, Raglan, Taumarunui, Whangamata, Waihi, and Waiheke Island.

The month started with a mission to Coville on October 1 for a male patient in his 60s who was suffering a medical event and had to be transported to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The next day the crew carried out two missions in the Thames area. The first one involved transporting a male patient in his 60s with respiratory difficulties from Whakatane Hospital to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment.

Returning to Waikato, the helicopter was dispatched to return to Thames Hospital for a female patient in her 70s suffering a medical event who needed to be transported to Waikato Hospital.

On October 3, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Rotorua Hospital to transport a male patient in his 60s who had suffered hand injuries to Waikato Hospital.

Later, the rescue helicopter responded to a single-vehicle crash near Te Mapara south of Te Kuiti. The female patient and driver of the vehicle was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On the morning of Wednesday, October 6, the helicopter was called out to Whangamata for a female patient suffering from a medical condition. The onboard crew flew the patient to Waikato Hospital.

On October 11, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter returned to Thames Hospital for a teenage female patient experiencing a medical event and who was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On Wednesday, October 13, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to a rural location near Raglan for a young girl who had suffered injuries on a farm and needed to be transported to Waikato Hospital.

Returning to Thames on Thursday, October 14, the helicopter flew a male patient suffering a serious medical event to Waikato Hospital.

The following Saturday, the rescue helicopter was called to Taumarunui for a male patient in his 50s who had suffered a serious medical event and needed to be transported to Waikato Hospital.

Later, the onboard crew responded to a single-vehicle accident in the Kauraenga Valley near Thames. One patient, a teenage male, was flown to Waikato Hospital with head injuries.

Sunday, October 17, had the helicopter crew assisting a man in his 50s suffering chest pain on Waiheke Island and flying him to Waikato Hospital.

On October 19, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Tokoroa for a male patient in his 20s who had suffered injuries in a motor vehicle accident and who was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On Friday, October 22, the rescue helicopter was dispatched to Raglan to fly a teenage male who had a quad bike accident in serious condition to Waikato Hospital.

The month of October ended as busy as it began. On October 29, the helicopter flew a male patient in his 60s who had suffered a medical event from Taumarunui Hospital to Waikato Hospital.

The following day, the onboard crew was dispatched to Waharoa north of Matamata to fly a male patient in his 30s who had suffered chest and abdominal injuries on a farm to Waikato Hospital.

The next day, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Rotorua Hospital to transfer a male patient in his 60s who experienced a cardiac event to Waikato Hospital.
The crew was then dispatched to Whangamata for a male patient in his 60s who was having breathing difficulties and was flown to Waikato Hospital in respiratory distress.