Aside from responding to a personal locator beacon activation at Toatoa on July 31, all missions flown by the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter in the last week took the team up the East Coast.

“That’s really just a matter of circumstance as, over that period, it was along the coast where people needed our team to attend, treat and transport patients,” says Eastland Rescue Helicopter Trust chair Patrick Willock.

“But it is a reminder of just how critical the service is to providing equity of emergency and medical care to this large and often remote part of our Tairāwhiti region.”

In addition to the PLB call-out, the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter flew seven missions in the week from July 31 including four medical events, two motor vehicle accidents and a trauma.

At the same time the team was responding to a trauma at Te Araroa – at 1am on August 6 – there was another incident at Nuhaka, which was taken care of by the Hastings-based Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter.

“This again shows the benefits of being part of a group that provides helicopter rescue services across a large part of the North Island,” says Mr Willock.

“We can offer cover for other services, and they for us, at times when demand is high so people can feel confident we are here for them.”

Photo: File Photo