The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter Completes 568 Life-Saving Missions In 2024, 10% Increase On 2023 Missions

The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter has concluded another successful year, carrying out a total of 568 missions in 2024. That’s almost a 10% increase on the number of missions performed in 2023.

These missions included 265 inter-hospital transfers, over 80 medical missions, just under 100 rural or remote incidents, over 40 motor vehicle accidents, 3 rescues and 76 other missions. 20.2% of all these missions performed occurred between the hours of 8pm and 8am, highlighting the need for vital equipment such as night vision googles.

Among the hospitals, Tauranga Hospital was the top transported from with the rescue helicopter crew being tasked to perform 87 inter-hospital transfers. This was closely followed by Whakatane Hospital which received 74 missions, and Rotorua Hospital with 49.

Among the months, October was the busiest with the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter crew completing 64 life-saving missions, which is approximately two life-saving missions per day.

Across the whole of 2024, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter completed 83 medical related missions, with one in February involving an infant that required immediate care and transportation from Waihau Bay due to a serious allergic reaction. The patient was flown to Whakatane Hospital for further treatment.

Furthermore, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter completed 99 rural/remote missions last year, providing vital emergency medical assistance to those in need. 15% of those remote missions were to Matakana Island.

Rural/remote missions are high in this Coastal Bay of Plenty region due to the large number of remote locations such as Matakana Island, Motiti Island, and Rangiwaea Island and more. With one of those missions taking place in May at Matakana Island for a male in his 90s who had sustained serious injuries after a fall. The patient was flown to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment.

The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was involved in 3 rescue missions last year. In the second half of last year, in July, the crew were dispatched to 55km offshore, north of Tauranga, for two males who had become lost at sea while out foil boarding. One male had activated his personal locator beacon (PLB) and was located by the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter crew, who conducted a search pattern and then winched him from the sea into the rescue helicopter using a rescue swimmer, who assisted the patient in getting on board the rescue helicopter.

The Critical Care Flight Paramedic onboard the rescue helicopter assessed the patient for injuries and found him to be fatigued but unharmed. He was then flown to the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter Hangar, at Tauranga Hospital, where he was greeted by his very relieved family.

The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter continued to search for the second foil boarder alongside Maritime New Zealand, Coastguard New Zealand and local commercial fishing boats. At 6.25pm, using Night Vision Goggles, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter crew located the second foil boarder on Mayor Island. He was assessed for injuries by the onboard Critical Care Flight Paramedic and cleared as unharmed. He was then transported to the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter Hangar, at Tauranga Hospital, where his also very relieved family were waiting.

Throughout the year of 2024, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to the scene of 43 serious motor vehicle accidents (MVA) with January having the highest number of MVA related callouts. One mission took place in Hamurana for a male in his 20s who had been in a collision with a truck, resulting in multiple fracture injuries. The patient was treated on scene by the onboard Critical Care Flight Paramedic before being swiftly airlifted to Waikato Hospital for further urgent medical treatment.

Overall, 2024 was a busy year for the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter which has been serving the Coastal Bay of Plenty regions since its inception in 2000. This essential service operates 24/7, 365 days a year, with a dedicated crew of highly trained Pilots, Air Crew Officers, and Critical Care Flight Paramedics who provide timely and life-saving assistance when it matters the most. The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter relies on community support and donations to ensure your highly skilled rescue crew are rescue ready and have the tools they need to save lives.

Donate to your Aerocool Rescue Helicopter today and help keep loved ones together this summer - https://give.rescue.org.nz/event/aerocool-rescue-helicopter/donate

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