Last week got off to a brisk start for the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter with Monday’s team carrying out three of the 11 missions completed over the seven days until Sunday.

The packed schedule of call-outs began on Monday, March 4 (10.36am) when the team flew to a farm vehicle accident at Waimata Valley, which required a hill-side landing in windy conditions.

This was followed by their responses to a medical event at Tikitiki (12.30pm) then to another medical event, this time at Tolaga Bay (5.03pm).

And the week continued with:

– March 5, 2024, at 3pm – The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter responded to a medical event at Ruatoria;

– March 6, 2024, 1pm – The team was called to a trauma at Te Araroa;

– March 7, 2024, 11pm – They responded to a late-night medical event at Ruatoria;

– March 8, 2024, 7pm – The team returned to the East Coast, this time to Tikitiki, for a medical event;

– March 9, 2024, 11.11am – The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter once again flew to Tikitiki for a medical event;

– March 9, 2024, 5.30pm – The team responded to a medical event at Ruatoria;

– March 10, 2024, 10.30am – The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter was again called to a medical event at Ruatoria;

All patients were flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital until Sunday’s 3pm mission when the team carried out an inter-region transfer, transporting a patient in critical condition from Gisborne to Waikato hospitals.

“This was a busy mission programme for the week so we’re very pleased to have our full team of 12 to ensure consistent cover 24 hours a day,” says Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust chair Patrick Willock.

“We generally say the service is on board 365 days a year but of course, this being a Leap Year, that’s 366 days of life-saving missions they’ll be carrying out over what is shaping up to be a pretty demanding period.”

CAPTION: EASTWARD BOUND: Last Tuesday’s response to Ruatoria (pictured) was one of nine Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter flights to the East Coast for the week, the area dominating the team’s 11-strong mission schedule for the seven days from March 4.