KEY POINTS:
An Auckland-based helicopter was sent to the Waikato yesterday to rescue two accident victims despite the Waikato-based chopper sitting idle in its hangar.
While Waikato's Westpac rescue helicopter remained in Hamilton, the Auckland helicopter was sent to an accident in Paeroa before dropping the patient off at Waikato Hospital and returning to Auckland.
Questions have been raised about the effectiveness of the communications dispatch system after the decision to send the rescue chopper on the long round trip.
A slip near Paeroa caused a truck to fall 10m down a bank into a stream but the two men in it escaped death or critical injury.
The rescue involved 70 minutes' flying and is estimated to have cost at least $3300.
The same mission flown from Hamilton, using an identical BK117 aircraft, would have taken 30 minutes' flying and cost about $1400. And the Auckland region would have had the use of its main helicopter
Two road ambulances were also sent to the accident. One was used to take a 19-year-old man to Paeroa Domain where he was transferred to the helicopter. He is in Waikato Hospital in a serious condition with a torn ear and crushed shoulder.
The driver of the truck, a man in his 40s, was shaken but did not need to go to hospital.
The manager and pilot of the Waikato helicopter, Grant Bremner, confirmed that the Hamilton-based aircraft was available but he would not comment on why it was not used.
He referred all questions to a St John control room in Auckland which has recently taken over dispatch operations from Hamilton.
St John Northcomm said sending the Auckland ambulance was best for the seriously injured patient.
The difference in flight times between Auckland and Paeroa and Hamilton and Paeroa was negligible and a paramedic at the Auckland base was ready to go.
The Hamilton air base had no dedicated medical team, St John said.
However, Mr Bremner said this was incorrect. "We do have paramedics available."
He referred further questions to his superior, John Funnell, who could not be reached for comment.
The manager of the Auckland aircraft, Greg Brownson, would not be drawn on whether he thought yesterday's flight was a waste of resources.
"That's the [ACC] contractual system, and hey, who's to say it's right or wrong."
The protocols that St John Ambulance followed dictated how jobs were allocated, he said.
"They have certain call-out areas and they stick to them very strictly, and very strict hospital board areas [too]."
Mr Brownson said a back-up helicopter and crew were available in Auckland, although the machine did not have a winch.
Concerns have been expressed about St John's new centralised dispatch system and some ambulance officers have said they have no confidence in it.
In April a former St John staff member spoke of a meeting in Rotorua in which concerns were raised over control room competence, use of rescue helicopters, and shortages of ambulance and rescue staff.
Another key worker in the profession, who did not want to be named, said the automated systems being run from Wellington and Auckland were a nightmare and were bringing huge problems.
Crews had been told not to speak to the public or media about the system and its problems.
It was understood staff turnover within the centralised communications system was extremely high and mistakes and delays were common.
The new computer system had been designed to save money. "It's not something to be mucked around with, it should be fixed urgently ... [people are] saying this is going to cost lives."
