International Women’s Day is the perfect time to show appreciation and recognise the important contributions women have made to our world - especially female crew members of the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter for their dedication to helping save lives, every day.
Jennifer shares an insight into a day in her life as a rescue helicopter crewman and some of the amazing achievements she has made so far.
Jennifer has been working on board the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter for almost a year now, and before working on the rescue helicopter, she worked on ambulances in the Waikato as a paramedic on the frontline for eight years.
In Jennifer’s role, she is responsible for a mix of aviation and medical responsibilities, and checking the aircraft for security as it starts up prior to any flight. Depending on the mission, the duties of a crewman can include assisting the pilot in navigation, operating the hoist and/or assisting the critical care paramedic with unstable patient treatment.
“The crewman duties are quite diverse, which keeps things interesting. I recently completed my first operation winch - it was memorable, as it was the first time I got to use all my newly acquired crewman skills to help someone in need.”
