2025 is off to a busy start for the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter, with 18 more missions completed compared to this time last year! That’s a 20.9% increase in life-saving missions for January and February this year.

The month of February was a busy month for the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter crew, who carried out 50 life-saving missions across the Lakes and Central Plateau regions. The crew's diverse range of missions included 23 inter-hospital transfers, 5 medical emergencies, 12 rural or farm-related incidents, 3 motor vehicle accidents, and 7 miscellaneous missions.

One hotspot was the remote location of the Tongariro National Park/Alpine Crossing, to which the rescue helicopter crew were tasked to four times. The crew were also tasked to locations such as Pureora Timber Trail, Te Kuiti, and many other remote and challenging locations to provide life-saving care in time-critical situations.

The month started off with the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter being dispatched to Taupo Hospital for a female who was experiencing a time-critical medical event requiring further treatment. The patient was airlifted to Rotorua Hospital with a flight time of approximately 20 minutes.

On Monday evening, February 3rd, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Taupo Township for a patient that was experiencing an immediately life-threatening medical event. The patient required immediate treatment which was performed by the onboard Critical Care

Flight Paramedic once on scene. The crew were on scene for approximately 45 minutes before swiftly airlifting the patient to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Wednesday morning, February 5th, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Oturere Hut for a female who sustained injuries to her lower leg while walking. The patient was treated on scene for approximately 30 minutes before being airlifted to Taupo Hospital for further treatment. The flight time from Oturere Hut to Taupo Hospital was 20 minutes.

On Saturday evening, February 8th, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Pureora Timber Trail for a male who sustained injuries after a fall. The patient was treated on scene for approximately 20 minutes before being airlifted to Rotorua Hospital for further medical care.

On Sunday afternoon, February 9th, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Tongariro National Park for a female who was in an immediately life-threatening condition following a motor vehicle accident (MVA). The patient was treated on scene for approximately 30 minutes before being stable enough to be airlifted to Waikato Hospital for further medical treatment.

On Thursday afternoon, February 13th, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Ruatoki for a patient who was in critical condition. The patient was treated on scene for approximately an hour by the onboard Critical Care Flight Paramedic before airlifting the patient to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Saturday morning, February 15th, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Turangi for a patient who was in critical condition. The patient was treated on scene for approximately 50 minutes by the onboard Critical Care Flight Paramedic before being flown to Rotorua Hospital for further treatment.

On Saturday afternoon, February 16th, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Rotorua Hospital for a female who was experiencing a serious medical condition. The patient was transported to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Monday morning, February 17th, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Whakapapa Village for a male who was in critical condition. The patient was treated on scene for approximately 40 minutes by the onboard Critical Care Flight Paramedic before being flown to Rotorua Hospital for further medical treatment.

On Thursday morning, February 20th, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Te Kuiti for a female who sustained serious injuries following a motor vehicle accident. The patient was treated on scene by the onboard Critical Care Flight Paramedic for approximately 30 minutes before being airlifted to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Sunday afternoon, February 23rd, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter flew to Aria to assist a male who had sustained significant injuries following a fall while motorbiking. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital to receive further medical treatment.

On Thursday evening, February 27th, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Turangi for a male who sustained burn injuries. The patient was treated on scene by the onboard Critical Care Flight Paramedic for approximately 30 minutes before being airlifted to Taupo Hospital to receive further treatment.

The month came to an end with the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter Crew being dispatched to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing for a female who sustained injuries after a fall while hiking. The patient was flown to Taupo Hospital for further treatment.

The fast response of the rescue helicopter and its highly trained crew ensures the patients receive the best care as quickly as possible. Your gift will go TWICE as far to save lives in your community... Donate to your Greenlea Rescue Helicopter today to double your impact - https://give.rescue.org.nz/event/greenlea-rescue-helicopter/donate

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