Team members joined forces with those operating Eastland Port’s harbour tug – Maki – to carry out winch training on and off the vessel’s deck while at sea.

“There may be times when someone on board, for example, a fishing boat or cruise ship suffers an accident or medical event so we’d need to winch our critical care flight paramedic down to them and possibly winch them up to the aircraft,” says pilot/Eastland Rescue Helicopter base manager Shaun Stewart.

“Our team members have previously undergone Wets and Decks training out of the region but this is the first time we’ve been able to do so in home waters and we’re grateful to Eastland Port for being our partners in this week’s essential exercise.”

The Eastland Rescue Helicopter team is dispatched on missions out of the region but most often operate from Mahia in the south, north to Te Kaha.

And while that includes a vast inland area, there is also around 400 kilometres of coastline and an active boating and shipping community.

“The team’s commitment to consistent training — and the recent purchase by Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust of a purpose-fitted wet floor to protect the interior of our current helicopter, IIX — further demonstrates our commitment to building on service capability,” says EHRT chair Ian Parker.

“The training of (ops company Search and Rescue Services Ltd) SRSL crew and working with other agencies recognises continuous improvement for the benefit of our communities.”

Before this week’s exercise the Eastland port and rescue helicopter teams had already done a day’s work at the Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust (EHRT) hangar to go through standard operating procedures.

On the day, the helicopter team was joined by pilot and air crew officer trainers from SRSL, who had travelled to Gisborne for the occasion and who brought with them a cover aircraft to ensure no interruption to dispatched missions.

The exercise started just after 9am and over the next two-and-a-half hours the team flew multiple passes over the tug stationed just off Te Kuri a Paoa/Young Nicks Head.

Great communication was key and the team was looking forward to working with Eastland Port on repeating the decks exercise on a regular basis, Mr Stewart said.

“The Eastland Rescue Helicopter was directly involved in several water-related events last year and, unfortunately, in a coastal region there is always going to be more.

“This training is especially important as we have new team members and it’s vital to ensure all have equal capabilities in working over water.”

CAPTION: AIR TO SEA: The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter and Eastland Port teams this week combined to carry out winch training on and off the decks of the Port’s harbour tug, Maki, while at sea.