“I’m not great with heights, but Critical Care Flight Paramedic (CCFP) Rob made me feel secure during the winch up to the rescue helicopter and the subsequent ride to a clearing where they could land safely to transfer me into the aircraft for the flight to Rotorua Hospital.” said Christine of her ordeal.

A Personal Locator Beacon, a skilled rescue helicopter crew and a vital rescue helicopter winch saved Christine from what could have been an even longer, further difficult and painful ordeal.

Christine and her husband Alan were enjoying an adventure-filled holiday, cycling the Pureora Timber Trail with friends and where on the second day of biking when things took a turn.

Just beyond the magnificent Maramataha suspension bridge, the trail takes a sharp and tricky uphill bend, then it is a steady 2.5km uphill climb to reach the ridge.

“During the second day of our Timber Trail ride, I unfortunately failed to navigate a sharp corner just after the swing bridge. I fell off my bike, rolled a couple of times, and dropped a short distance off the track painfully onto my shoulder.

There was no cell phone coverage where Christine lay in pain, deep in the bush. Thankfully a member of the group ahead of Christine and Alan had a personal locator beacon (PLB) and a group of riders who stumbled across the accident scene rode ahead to alert the individual to activate the PLB.

The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter crew were tasked to the mission, and with the GPS coordinates of where Christine lay injured, were soon flying over the forest.

Pilot and Base Manager Jase says... “It was a beautiful autumn morning as we descended the western slopes of the Pureora Range where we began to pick up the signal from a personal locator beacon.”

The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter slowed to a hover over the steep ravine near a large Rimu tree. Hovering in a winch mission involves all members of the crew. The Pilot will work to get overhead of the scene with the winch, being carefully guided by the Air Crew Officer who is the Pilots second pair of eyes and ensures the general safety of the operation.

Air Crew Officer Annika expertly lowered Critical Care Flight Paramedic (CCFP) Rob down to the clearest area in the vicinity at the end of the bridge while Pilot Jase keep the helicopter in a hover. CCFP Rob swiftly attended to Christine's injuries once on scene.

“Although there were structures and cables near the bridge, we decided to lower Critical Care Flight Paramedic Rob down at the end of the bridge, as it was the clearest area in the vicinity” stated Pilot Jase.

CCFP Rob ascertained that Christine needed to be stabilised on scene prior to being winched rather than being extracted immediately from that point.

“CCFP Rob was expertly lowered down he was very calm, kind and confident; giving me pain relief and putting my arm in a temporary splint to take pressure off my shoulder joint” commented Christine.

While on scene with the patient Christine, CCFP Rob stayed in communication with the Pilot and Air Crew Officer to determine how they would proceed as there are various ways one can be extracted from an adverse environment. For example, via a stretcher or with a sling etc, depending on the patients’ injuries.

In Christine’s case, she had sustained three fractures in her humerus, through the neck and head of the bone. Therefore, she required winching via a sling to avoid further injury to her humerus.

“I am so grateful to the team on the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter that came to my aid. The crew were so skilled and professional, I felt so relieved to see them and I knew I was in safe hands” says a very grateful Christine.

Without the rescue helicopter and the rescue winch that day, Christine doesn’t like to imagine the very long, difficult and very painful walk and ride out of the area she would have faced. She is forever thankful for the prompt medical attention and skill of her rescue helicopter crew who prevented her from further injury to the joint.

She left a heartfelt message to the crew that came to her rescue that day saying, “A huge thank you to the crew, Rob, Jason and Annika. I really appreciate your kind help. You do such an amazing and important job.”

Can you help us raise the remaining $227,503 required to equip your H145 rescue helicopter with a rescue winch to continue rescuing individuals like Christine?

Donate now to double the impact for your community with the team at Greenlea Foundation Trust matching your donation > https://give.rescue.org.nz/event/greenlea-rescue helicopter/donate/

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