Busy Day For Wellington Westpac Helicopter

The Wellington based Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the Wellington and Auckland based Life Flight NZ fixed wing air ambulances have had a very busy day, including four helicopter missions and two fixed wing missions in Marlborough.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Missions
At 1:00 this morning the helicopter, with a specialist flight nurse from Wellington Hospital ICU and a midwife, was called to Wairau Hospital to transport a pregnant woman back to Wellington Hospital. The 22 year old Blenheim woman, pregnant with twins, was having difficulties and required advanced care in Wellington Woman's Hospital. Her partner travelled with her. After being assessed and stabilised she was transported to Wellington Hospital, arriving at 2:50 am.

Around 5:30 am the helicopter was called to Bay of Many Coves in the Marlborough Sounds to assist a 37 year old woman who was suffering from severe abdominal pain. The helicopter, with two Wellington Free Ambulance paramedics onboard, responded to the Sounds, stabilised the woman and flew her and one of her relatives, to Wairau Hospital Emergency Department, arriving there at 6:50 am. We understand the woman was a visitor from the UK.

On the way back to Wellington the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was asked to respond to Umuwheke Bay where a 79 year old Picton man was suffering from severe back pain. The helicopter arrived on the scene a few minutes later and after treating the man transported him to Wairau Hospital ED at about 8:40 am.

Late this afternoon, at around 4:30 pm the helicopter was requested to respond to Forsyth Island for a woman suffering from an eye injury. The helicopter, with a winch trained Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic onboard, arrived at the scene just after 5 pm and winched our paramedic to the patient. The 44 year old Riccarton woman suffered a severe eye injury in a freak accident - while she was swimming a rock, which was being 'skimmed' by a person on shore, hit her in the eye. The woman had totally lost vision in the eye and is currently being assessed by Wellington Hospital ED staff.

Life Flight NZ Air Ambulance Missions
Early this morning the Wellington based Life Flight NZ Air Ambulance crew, along with a specialist flight nurse from Wellington Hospital, transported a 29 year old Blenheim woman and three of her relatives back to Wairau Hospital. The woman had been flown to Wellington last week for a medical condition and was now well enough to return to Wairau Hospital to continue recuperating.

While at Wairau Hospital the team picked up a 56 year old Christchurch man and transported him to Christchurch Hospital for specialist care.

Upon returning from Christchurch, at about 1:30pm, the plane was then sent to Palmerston North Hospital, with an incubator and specialist flight nurse to retrieve a sick baby and bring her to Wellington Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The team arrived back at Wellington with the baby and two relatives at about 4:30pm.

Also today the Auckland based Life Flight NZ Air Ambulance transported three patients, two children and their mother, from Starship and Auckland Hospitals to Hutt Hospital. The three patients were all injured in a major car accident in the Auckland region earlier this month and were well enough to return to their home hospital to continue treatment.

Summary
Since midnight Life Flight, between the Wellington based Westpac Rescue Helicopter, the Wellington based Life Flight NZ air ambulance and the Auckland based Life Flight NZ air ambulance service, has transported 10 patients and 8 of their relatives.

As this is being written the Westpac Rescue Helicopter is starting up to respond to Masterton Hospital to transport a seriously ill man requiring advanced treatment at Wellington Hospital. The helicopter crew + a specialist flight nurse will have the patient back to Wellington later tonight.

© Scoop Media