Over the month of October, your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter carried out a total of 66 missions to the Waikato,
King Country and surrounding areas, despite the level 3 lockdown throughout the Waikato region. Throughout the month, a
total of 42 inter-hospital transfers, 13 medical events, 4 motor vehicle accidents and 7 rural/farm incidents were
attended to by your rescue crew. Locations regularly visited during the month of October included Thames, Rotorua,
Raglan, Taumarunui, Whangamata, Waihi and even Waiheke Island.
The month commenced with a busy weekend for your rescue crew, starting with a mission to Coville for a male patient in
his 60’s suffering a medical event on October 1st. The patient was transported to Waikato Hospital for further
treatment.
The next day they were tasked to two missions to the Thames area. The first one being to transport a male patient in his
60’s experiencing respiratory difficulties from Whakatane Hospital. The onboard crew flew the patient to Tauranga
Hospital for further treatment. Upon returning to Waikato, the helicopter was dispatched to return to Thames Hospital
for a female patient in her 70’s suffering a medical event. The patient was transported to Waikato Hospital.
The following day, on Sunday, October 3, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Rotorua Hospital to
transport a male patient in his 60’s who had sustained hand injuries. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for
further treatment. Later, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter responded to a single-vehicle crash near Te Mapara,
South of Te Kuiti. The female patient, and driver of the vehicle, was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
On the morning of Wednesday, 6 October, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called out to Whangamata for a female
patient suffering from a medical condition. The onboard crew flew the patient to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
Monday, 11 October, saw the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter returning to Thames Hospital for a teenage female patient
experiencing a medical event. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment. And again, returning to
Thames that Thursday, October 14, to transport a male patient suffering a serious medical event. The onboard crew flew
the patient to Waikato Hospital for further care.
On Wednesday, October 13, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to a rural location near Raglan for a
young girl who had sustained injuries on a farm. The onboard crew transported the patient to Waikato Hospital for
treatment.
In the early morning of Saturday, 16 October, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to Taumarunui for a male
patient in his 50’s who had suffered a serious medical event. The patient was transported to Waikato Hospital for
further treatment. Later, the onboard crew responded to a single-vehicle accident in the Kauraenga Valley, near Thames.
One patient, a teenage male, was flown to Waikato Hospital with head injuries, accompanied by his father.
Sunday, 17 October, saw the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter assisting a man in his 50’s suffering chest pain on
Waiheke Island. The onboard crew flew the patient to Waikato Hospital for further care.
On October 19, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Tokoroa for a male patient in his 20’s who had
sustained injuries following a motor vehicle accident. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
On Friday 22 October around 11:12am the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Raglan. A teenage male had
sustained injuries in a quad bike accident. He was transported in a serious condition to Waikato Hospital.
The month of October ended the same as it began, with a busy weekend for your rescue crew. On Friday, 29 October, the
Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Taumarunui Hospital for a male patient in his 60’s who had suffered a
medical event. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
The following day, the onboard crew was dispatched to Waharoa, north of Matamata, for a male patient in his 30’s who
sustained chest and abdominal injuries on a farm. He was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.
The next day, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Rotorua Hospital to transfer a male patient in his
60’s who experienced a cardiac event. He was flown to Waikato Hospital for further assessment and treatment. They were
then dispatched to Whangamata for a male patient in his 60’s who was experiencing breathing difficulties. He was flown
to Waikato Hospital in respiratory distress.
Missions like these are made possible thanks to the generosity of donors, supporters and sponsors. Donate today to keep
these life-saving missions available to patients in need across the North Island! – rescue.org.nz .