“Denis was a community-minded person who was able to apply his skills and knowledge to the benefit of his community, often at significant cost to his own whanau,” says EHRT chair Ian Parker.

“More than 35 years after he founded the rescue helicopter service on the East Coast we continue to follow his ethos of service to the community, and even have the same bank account he opened in Ruatoria all those years ago.”

Mr Hartley’s history in aviation dates back nearly 70 years to 1957 when, with the support of a grant from the Maori Education Foundation, he began flight training with Wanganui Aero Club and became a topdressing pilot.

That career endured until 1968 when he suffered a serious flying accident, and after his recovery he began working with helicopters.

By 1988 he was operating his East Coast-based Heliwing agricultural business and as Cyclone Bola struck and the floodwaters rose, Ruatoria Civil Defence pressed him into service rescuing people from rooftops, cars and homes.

As the jobs mounted up fuel stocks dwindled so he flew out to the naval ship HMNZS Monowai — stationed off the East Cape to ride out the weather – landing on a pitching deck in cyclonic conditions to top up his supplies.

Later, he took part in a talkback session on Radio Ngati Porou to talk of his experiences, getting such a strong response the planned 30-minute interview blew out to over two hours.

“The switchboard went mad with calls from afar as Bluff, Australia and the Chatham Islands from people with connections to the East Coast, pledging assistance while, at home, locals walked into the station and emptied their pockets of loose change,” recalls former EHRT chair Patrick Willock.

“By the time he walked out after the programme Denis had been given $300 in loose change and by that night $6000 had been pledged. He realised this was too much public money to hold in his business so approached some key people from the communities he serviced and set up The Helicopter Rescue Trust (East Cape).”

Mr Hartley remained on the trust until 1992 and, alongside his agricultural aviation work, continued flying for the service until 2000 when tightened standards required a helicopter be reserved for rescue work alone and the service was relocated to Gisborne.

Today, EHRT supports the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter service, a dedicated team of professionals who offer critical services in and beyond the Tairāwhiti region.

When awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2017, Mr Hartley acknowledged the trustees who drove and supported the East Coast initiative to become a dedicated air ambulance service, and paid tribute to those who had worked under trying conditions to help others.

In media interviews over the years he recounted one of his saddest rescues as being when two very young children were badly injured in a car crash; while some of his happiest were when babies were born on board the helicopter.

And he’s also been a patient himself . . . notwithstanding the nearly two years he spent in hospital after his 1968 accident.

Mr Hartley once recalled how, after a call-out to pick up an injured powerline worker, he got soaked through while delivering the patient to Te Puia Springs Hospital, his existing influenza worsening to the point where he, too, had to be hospitalised.

“Just checking you are tucked in for the night,” he said to the powerline worker, who was startled to see his pilot in the bed next to him.

Among his many achievements Mr Hartley is also credited with establishing the East Coast Search and Rescue Squad and Tokomaru Bay marine communications; with equipping and training rescue squads linked to NZ Fire Service brigades from Tolaga Bay to Opotiki; and with pioneering helicopter practices now used around the world.

He is survived by Jacqueline, his wife of 61 years, and their three children, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Ian Parker says EHRT is proud to continue the work Mr Hartley started after some of the East Coast’s darkest days.

“Denis was committed to engaging with his community to achieve the best outcomes and those values remain the foundation of our organisation,” he says.

“His contribution to emergency services in our region cannot be understated, and our thoughts are with Jacqui and whanau at this sad time.”

— A celebration of Denis Hartley’s life will be held at Ohope Hall at 1pm on Sunday, January 26. His whanau ask that supporters consider a donation to their local Rescue Helicopter Trust.

CAPTION: EAST COAST CONNECTIONS: Denis Hartley travelled from his home in the Bay of Plenty for last year’s opening of the Te Araroa Aerodrome.