Mission Log

Dispatched to Ruatoria for a medical event, the crew were met by the local Ruatoria St John Ambulance team. The patient was assessed and treated by our Critical Care Flight Paramedic and flown to Gisborne Hospital for further treatment.

As they were heading back to Gisborne, the crew was dispatched by Police to look for a potential boat in distress off the coast of Te Kaha. After some searching, nothing was found and they were stood down and returned to Gisborne.

The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter responded to a trauma in Te Araroa, where the crew were met by St John first responder staff. The patient was stabilised by our Critical Care Flight Paramedic and needed to be transported to Waikato Hospital. Our crew went to Whakatane to meet the Aerocool Tauranga Rescue helicopter crew, who flew the patient on to Waikato in a critical condition. This enabled the Tairāwhiti team to get back to the East Coast ready for the next mission.

Later that afternoon the team were off again, this time to Tauwhareparae for a medical patient. The patient was stabilised by our Critical Care Flight Paramedic and was flown to Gisborne Hospital in a stable condition.

The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter crew had an early start, being dispatched to Te Araroa for a medical patient. The patient was stabilised and flown to Whakatane Hospital.

The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team was called to a trauma in Mahia, where the patient was assessed and treated by our Critical Care Flight Paramedic before being flown in a stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Ruatoria for a trauma. Our Critical Care Flight Paramedic received handover from St John staff and the patient was stabilised before being flown in a stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

The team was this time dispatched to Te Puia Springs Hospital where they met St John staff with a patient suffering a medical event. The patient was assessed and treated by our on-board Critical Care Flight Paramedic, and was flown to Gisborne Hospital for further treatment.

The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team was dispatched to Tikitiki for a medical event. The patient was flown back to Gisborne Hospital for further treatment.

In the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle hitting Te Tairawhiti (February 13), Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter was supported during the first week by Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter (two helicopters, seven crew) and Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter (crew from Taupo) checking on rural residents, supplying critical medical supplies, and linking services to those that need them. The teams worked non-stop, all while carrying out their usual jobs of transporting people in need of medical attention to hospitals in Gisborne and the Bay of Plenty.

Called to Te Puia Springs Hospital for a medical event, our team found the Ruatoria St John crew had treated and stabilised the patient, and were able to hand over care to our on-board Critical Care Flight Paramedic. The patient was flown in a stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter responded to Kaingaroa Forest, near Murupara, for a patient suffering a medical event. Fire and Emergency services from Murupara secured a landing site for us in a nearby paddock and our Critical Care Flight Paramedic received handover from St John staff already on scene. The patient was flown in a serious condition to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

Just after the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter crew managed to get home to Gisborne and have some dinner, they were called to Mōrere to help search for a missing tramper. The team conducted the search using our Night Vision Goggles and were later stood down as the tramper had been found safe and well by NZ Police. A great outcome for all involved.

While finishing up at Gisborne Hospital from a previous call-out, our team was dispatched to Wairoa for a patient suffering from a severe medical condition. On arrival, our Critical Care Flight Paramedic received handover from the Wairoa St John Ambulance crew and the patient was transported in a serious condition to Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.

Starting a busy Waitangi Day for Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter, the team responded to Te Araroa for a trauma. Our Critical Care Flight Paramedic assessed and treated the patient, who was flown in a stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter crew responded to a motor vehicle accident at SH5 in Te Haroto, just north of Napier, where Police were on scene and closed the road so we could land as close as possible. After St John Ambulance handed over care to our Critical Care Flight Paramedic, the patient was flown in a stable condition to Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.