Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter flies 58 missions in January

The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter lands at its home base at sunset after another busy day.

With Kiwis out and about over the summer, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew were there for patients in need, no matter when or where. Your helicopter crew undertook 58 missions in January to the Waikato, King Country, the Coromandel and surrounding regions.

Included were 34 inter-hospital transfers, eight medical events, one rescue, 10 rural/farming-related incidents and five motor vehicle accidents.

The Waikato helicopter was seen in Tauranga, Rotorua, Thames and Raglan during the month.

January started with transporting a man in his 30s from Thames Hospital. He had injuries from a vehicle crash and was flown to Waikato Hospital.

The next afternoon, the chopper flew to Tauranga Hospital to bring a man suffering a serious medical event to Waikato Hospital.

On January 2, the Waikato helicopter went to Waihī for a woman with multiple serious injuries from a vehicle crash. She was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On January 3, a young girl with multiple injuries after a serious motor vehicle accident was flown from Tauranga Hospital to Waikato Hospital.

On Friday, January 6, a woman in her 40s fell off her mountain bike in Ōpōtiki and sustained a serious spinal injury. She was taken to Waikato Hospital.

On January 11, a Hamilton man in his 60s who was suffering from a critical cardiac event was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On Friday afternoon, January 13, the helicopter was tasked to Gisborne Hospital for a woman in her 20s who had sustained multiple injuries in a crash. She was flown to Waikato Hospital.

The next night, the helicopter went to Waikato Hospital for a young boy who had been involved in a serious crash and sustained a serious spinal injury. He was flown to Auckland Hospital.

In the early hours of January 15, the helicopter went to Coromandel for a teenage girl who had serious injuries after a crash. She was treated at the scene and flown to Waikato Hospital. That evening, the helicopter went to Thames for a young boy who had been involved in a motorbike accident and sustained serious leg injuries. He was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On January 22, the helicopter went to Waikino for a man in his 60s who had been involved in a crash and had sustained fractures. He was flown to Waikato.

On January 26, the helicopter was dispatched to Taranaki Base Hospital for a woman in her 20s who was suffering from a serious cardiac event. She was flown to Waikato.

On Monday morning, January 30, the helicopter went to Tīrau for a man in his 30s who had been involved in a serious crash and sustained multiple serious injuries. He was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The month ended with the chopper being dispatched to Mokau for a man in his 60s suffering a serious medical event. He was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

Your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter relies on donations to help fund these life-saving missions. Donate to your rescue helicopter crew at https://give.rescue.org.nz/.