Icy conditions cause crashes, create busy start to July for Greenlea rescue helicopter

Icy conditions on the roads took the Greenlea rescue helicopter to two car crashes near Tūrangi on Sunday, July 4. Photo / Supplied

A combination of cold weather and medical events made for a busy time for the Taupō-based Greenlea rescue helicopter on the first weekend of July.

The helicopter and its crews did 11 missions on July 3 and 4, including to the Tongariro National Park, Rotorua and Tūrangi.

They visited Rotorua six times and went to three crashes, two near Turangi in the same day.

Early on Friday, July 2, the rescue helicopter crew was called to Tongariro National Park for a woman in her 20s suffering a medical event. She was flown to Rotorua Hospital.

The same morning, and again later in the day, the rescue helicopter was sent to fly a patient from Rotorua to Waikato Hospital.

The next day, it was off to Tūrangi for a patient suffering a medical event, followed by a trip to Rotorua Hospital.

The Greenlea rescue helicopter and St John Ambulance attending an early morning accident near Mt Ruapehu. Photo / Supplied

Later the same day, the Greenlea chopper went to a crash near Ruapehu. The patient was treated at the scene and then taken to Taupō Hospital.

No sooner had the helicopter returned to Taupō when it was called to a rugby game where a player had been injured. The treated the patient at the scene before flying them to Waikato Hospital.

In the evening there was another callout to fly an ill patient to Rotorua Hospital.

On Sunday, July 4, the Greenlea rescue helicopter went to two crashes near Tūrangi, each time taking a patient to Rotorua Hospital.

• Donate to the Greenlea rescue helicopter at www.rescue.org.nz.