Injured man winched from forestry block

The Wellington based Westpac Rescue Helicopter transported a man to hospital suffering leg injuries this morning.

The helicopter, with 2 Wellington Free Ambulance paramedics onboard responded to an area to the west of Mauriceville in the Wairarapa just after 8.20am this morning. The man, a Masterton resident aged 52, was one of two men engaged in Possum population counting when he landed awkwardly after scaling a wire fence, dislocating his knee. His work partner was able to call for help via cellphone and provided good GPS co-ordinates for the helicopter to locate the injured man. The helicopter was able to land in a nearby paddock and the crew were led approximately 400m into a pine plantation to where the injured man had fallen. "The pair were well equipped with GPS units and personal locator beacons" said helicopter crewman Colin Larsen.

Due to the nature of his injury and the terrain it was decided to winch the patient and the paramedic out of the plantation utilizing a specialized winch stretcher. He was then transported to Masterton Hospital by the helicopter, where he is being treated in the Emergency Department.

ENDS

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