After the man was stabilised, De Waal winched him back up and took him to the beach where an ambulance was waiting.
While the operation was taking place, a gust of wind swung the rescue basket into a firefighter at the scene who then fell down the cliff also.
The helicopter then had to winch the essential worker into the helicopter and back to an ambulance too, he said.
Both people were moderately injured and taken to Tauranga Hospital, a St John spokeswoman said.
De Waal said about 20 emergency service workers helped in the rescue, including two fire trucks and at least six police officers.
"It was just so unnecessary... the man shouldn't have been there."
Although he was happy to do his job, De Waal said the man had put all staff under "such unnecessary risk" and "he just should have been at home".
"It's just not a good example he is setting."
This was the first incident like this that the helicopter had been called too since lockdown began and highlighted why obeying lockdown rules were so important, he said.
The helicopter was in the air for close to two hours, he said and all the resources the rescue used could have been avoided.
The man was not arrested or charged for his actions, but instead was provided with advice on the nature of the Level 4 conditions and received a warning, a police spokesman said.
Dave Miller, who was isolating at Mount Maunganui, said he heard a chopper about 5.45pm and went to investigate.
"I got my bike and went to the beach to see if it was still there," Miller said.
"I could see it hovering over Leisure Island."
He said he could see a stretcher being let down before someone was also winched down.
"It kept circling for ages."
He said he saw multiple emergency service personnel out there trying to rescue the man.
Miller watched as the chopper landed on the sand near Leisure Island, carrying a person to safety.
"Everyone [emergency services] was still out there. They waited for another ambulance. It arrived and they took a wheelchair on the beach."
