Your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter carried out 48 life-saving missions within the Waikato, King Country, Coromandel, and surrounding regions over the month of April. These missions included 25 inter-hospital transfers, 7 medical events, 1 rescue, 9 rural/farm incidents, and 6 miscellaneous missions. Your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was most often seen in the likes of Thames with 5 inter-hospital transfers, Taumarunui with 3 inter-hospital transfers, and 2 missions in Coromandel with 1 in Waihi and 1 in Whangamata.

The month started with your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter being dispatched to Thames Hospital for a male in his 70s who was suffering from a serious cardiac event. The patient was swiftly flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The following afternoon, your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked with a rescue mission for a teenage male who had sustained serious injuries after falling from his mountain bike in the remote Whakarewrewa Forest. Due to the location of the incident, the patient was successfully winched up by the onboard Critical Care Flight Paramedic (CCFP) and airlifted to Waikato Hospital for urgent medical care.

Later that evening of April 2, the rescue helicopter was called to Rotorua Hospital to transport a male in his 50s who was experiencing a serious medical event. The patient was swiftly flown to Waikato Hospital for advanced treatment and specialised care, ensuring he received the urgent attention he needed.

The following afternoon, April 3, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched once again, this time to assist a male in his 60s who was suffering from a serious medical event in Waihi. The patient was safely airlifted to Waikato Hospital for further evaluation and treatment, with the skilled crew ensuring his swift and safe transport to medical facilities.

On Thursday night, April 4, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to transport a male in his 50s. The patient was experiencing seizures and was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Wednesday afternoon, April 10, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Mt Tauhara for a female in her 50s who had slipped and injured her ankle while hiking. The onboard Critical Care Flight Paramedic was winched down to attend to the patient, providing necessary medical care and preparing her for extraction via winch. The injured hiker was then safely transported to Taupo Hospital for further treatment.

On Monday evening, April 15, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Whakatane Hospital for a teenage male who was experiencing a serious health condition. The patient was flown to Auckland Starship Hospital for further treatment.

On Wednesday evening, April 17, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to a Motor Vehicle Accident for a female in her 20s who sustained multiple fracture injuries. The patient was transported to Middlemore Hospital for further treatment.

On Friday evening, April 19, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Rotorua for a male in his 90s who had sustained injuries from a dog bite. The patient was transported from Rotorua Hospital to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Sunday afternoon, April 21, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to Long Bay for a woman in her 60s who sustained a serious head injury from falling backwards onto rocks. The onboard critical care flight paramedic was winched down to the patient, the paramedic stabilised the patient before they were extracted by winch. The patient was then transported to Auckland City Hospital for further treatment.

On Thursday afternoon, April 25, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Karangahake Gorge for a woman in her 60s who had fallen while riding her bike and sustained fracture injuries and required. Due to the remote location, the patient was winched out by the onboard crew and then transported to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Sunday morning, April 28, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Te Kuiti Hospital for a woman in her 60s who experienced a serious medical event. The patient was transported to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The month ended with the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter being dispatched to Waikato Hospital for a female in her teens who needed serious medical treatment. The patient was transported to Starship Hospital for further treatment.

The fast response of the rescue helicopter and its highly trained crew ensures the patients receive the best care as quickly as possible. These life-saving missions happen every day and it’s what happened next that makes the difference… you make that difference. 

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