Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter clocks up 58 December missions

The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter at Thames Hospital. Photo / Supplied

The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter had a busy December, carrying out 58 lifesaving missions. This included 34 inter-hospital transfers, eight medical events, 10 rural or farming-related incidents, five motor vehicle accidents, and one rescue mission. The helicopter was commonly seen in Putaruru, Raglan, Whangamata and Rotorua, with the most visited location being Tauranga Hospital, making up for 11 of the total missions flown.

Throughout the month, 11 missions were also carried out to the Coromandel region.

The month started with the helicopter being sent to Rotorua Hospital for a man in his 20s who had been involved in a vehicle crash and was in critical condition. He was flown to Waikato Hospital. That same day, the helicopter went to Tauranga Hospital for a teenage girl who had suffered head injuries in a fall. She was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On December 3, the helicopter was dispatched to Te Kuiti for a young boy who had suffered leg injuries after falling off a motorbike. He was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On December 4, the helicopter went to Tokoroa Hospital for a man in his 70s who was suffering from seizures. He was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On December 7, the rescue helicopter was tasked to transport a pre-term baby from Tauranga Hospital. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On December 11, the helicopter was dispatched to Kerepehi for a man in his 30s who was suffering from serious injuries after being involved in a car crash. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On December 20, the helicopter was dispatched to Raglan for a woman in her 30s who had been involved in a serious MVA and had suffered serious injuries. The woman was stabilised and airlifted to Waikato Hospital.

On Saturday night, December 24, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to a small rural area south of Te Awamutu for a teenage boy who had suffered serious injuries after being involved in a motorbike accident. He was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On the evening of Christmas Day, the helicopter was tasked to transport a woman in her 60s who was suffering from a critical medical event. The patient was flown from Tauranga Hospital to Waikato Hospital.

The next day, the helicopter went to Whitianga for a teenage boy who had critical injuries after falling off his motorbike.

On December 28, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Raglan for a young girl suffering from critical injuries. The patient was transported to Waikato Hospital. That night, the Waikato helicopter was dispatched to Te Aroha for a man in his 80s who had fallen and suffered head injuries. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The month ended with the helicopter being dispatched on Friday night, December 31, to Whangamata for a teenage boy who had fallen and suffered serious head injuries.