Gisborne’s rescue helicopter service has continued its trend of increasing activity with an upswing of nearly 20 percent in reportable flights for the first half of 2024.

In the six months to June 30, the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team recorded 261 reportable flights made up of 188 completed missions, 52 training sessions, and 21 flights for “other” (such as ferrying or maintenance).

That was an increase of 19.2 percent on the 219 flights recorded for the same period in 2023, those being 176 completed missions, 30 training sessions, and 13 for “other”.

In additional data – and perhaps due to more settled weather conditions – the team declined just 32 mission requests in the six months to the end of June, down from the 45 in the same period in 2023.

However, the number of missions stood down or abandoned in the period (often also due to weather) increased to 40 from the 2023 six-month total of 21.

“Records of the ever-increasing volume of missions reminds us of the indispensable role this asset plays for our community and the incredible job our team does,” says Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust chair Patrick Willock.

“Even though we have not faced the same weather challenges we did in 2023, there are still many people in remote or isolated locations that need help and the team is there for them.”

Meanwhile, though the team is in the midst of their traditional mid-winter slow-down, they successfully completed four missions in the seven days from Monday, July 8:

– July 9, 1.30pm – The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter transferred a patient in serious condition after suffering a medical event from Gisborne to Waikato Hospital.

– July 10, 3pm – The team was dispatched to a medical event at Ruatoria where the on-board critical care flight paramedic assessed and treated the patient, who was flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

– July 13, 5am– They responded to a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 2, at Nuhaka, where a vehicle had rolled down a 10-metre bank. The patient was flown in a serious condition to Gisborne Hospital.

– July 14, 8.20pm – The Eastland Rescue Helicopter was called to a medical event at Te Puia Springs Hospital, from where the patient was flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

CAPTION: The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter and Fire and Emergency NZ (Wairoa and Nuhaka) teams attending a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 2, at Nuhaka, in the early hours of Saturday morning.