30 August 2024

With Father's Day just around the corner, we want to highlight the amazing fathers who work onboard your rescue helicopter.

The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter plays a crucial role in responding to life-threatening emergencies and providing rapid transportation for patients in need of urgent medical treatment. The highly trained and experienced rescue helicopter crew operate 24/7 365 days a year to provide life-saving support to those in need.

These incredible men onboard your rescue helicopter balance the demands of fatherhood alongside the intense responsibilities of saving lives. Your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter Pilot Kane understands, from personal experience, the significance of finding that balance between parenting and his critical role working onboard the rescue helicopter.

“There can be challenges for family life as many shift workers experience. Sometimes I might be leaving home before my daughter Annabelle is awake and returning well after she's back in bed. However, those days are offset by occasions where I'm able to spend more time with her than might be possible in a normal nine-to-five role. Of course, the support of my amazing wife Georgia and our wider family helps too!

As far as the nature of rescue helicopter work, being a father can make it challenging when responding to situations involving children. However, it's rewarding to know we are doing everything possible to help our patients in their time of need, regardless of their age” says Pilot Kane.

As father’s, these men approach their life-saving missions with deep compassion. They recognise the significance of every life they save, understanding that each individual they assist could be someone's child, parent, or partner.

“I have first-hand experience of the stress and worry associated with your child being in hospital, let alone requiring transport via helicopter, so can absolutely relate to those families we fly. Recently Lacey Downes' experience with the rescue helicopter has been covered by our marketing team, so being a new father made this story hit even closer to home for me” explains Pilot Kane.

On Father’s Day this year, Pilot Kane will be on duty, ready to respond to emergencies and save lives when dispatched. Although, he will still be finding ways to celebrate the special day while on duty.

“Last year was my first experience of Father's Day as a father. Despite only being a few months old, Annabelle made some very delicious pancakes for breakfast, potentially with a small amount of assistance from Georgia... This year I'll be working day shift on Father's Day, so they are hoping to drop into the hangar to say hello in between flights, and if I'm lucky the new pancake tradition might even continue!”

This Father’s Day let’s recognise and celebrate the incredible fathers onboard your rescue helicopter who dedicate themselves to saving lives in the community while serving as inspiring role models for their children. Thank you to all the amazing fathers making a difference in the world. Happy Father’s Day!

Your generosity helps ensure that your crew on the rescue helicopter have the resources they need to continue their life-saving work. Donate to your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter today - https://give.rescue.org.nz/event/waikato-westpac-rescue-helicopter/donate/

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