An unplanned medivac and a real-life callout meant Rotorua Search and Rescue volunteers were put through their paces during their annual search and rescue exercise (Sarex) around Lake Tarawera on the weekend.
One of the searchers in the exercise became rapidly unwell and needed to be taken across Lake Tarawera from Hot Water Beach by water taxi, while on Saturday night, a man and his two children were reported overdue from the Western Okataina Walkway.
Rotorua police Search and Rescue officer-in-charge, Detective Sergeant John Wilson, said some members of the organisation were kept in reserve, just in case, so they were able to get a team out quickly.
He said a man and his two children, aged 5 and 8, set off on the Western Okataina Walkway from the Miller Rd carpark, Lake Okareka, around 2pm. They were due back at 6pm but still hadn't returned by 10.45pm when police were called.
Mr Wilson said police and search and rescue volunteers were deployed to the area around midnight when they found the lost party arriving back at their car.