The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter

An emergency rescue helicopter has been operating in the Manawatu region since 1991. The rescue helicopter, known as the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter, covers the Manawatu-Horowhenua-Rangitikei-Tararua-Wanganui regions and sometimes well beyond.

The rescue helicopter and its expert crew carry out approximately 250 missions each year. A mix of ambulance, search and rescue, hospital transfer and Police work makes up these missions with the overall service having a very real impact on outcomes for members of the community unfortunate enough to suffer serious illness or injury.

It's emergency ambulance work involves getting St John paramedics and rescue personnel to critically ill or badly injured people anywhere in the region, and then getting those endangered people to the major hospitals in Palmerston North, Wanganui and Wellington for the best possible care.

Often, the helicopter is called on to get paramedics and rescue crew into remote locations, such as forestry or distant farming and bush areas, where people have been badly injured and need urgent attention. A large number of calls are for accidents involving motor vehicles, as well as incidents on farms and those related to recreational pursuits.

As well, the helicopter and specialist crew play major roles in search and rescue work on land or in the sea, and also to support the police with armed defender callouts.

The AS350FX2 ‘Squirrel’ helicopter and its expert crew of pilots, paramedics, and officers of the Police force, respond quickly and effectively to all emergencies to ensure delivery of the best level of service; a service made possible through donations of time, money, goods and services from local businesses, service groups and the community at large.

the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter is situated on the Palmerston North Hospital grounds, resulting in only a short stretcher journey between the helipad and hospital. The hangar and office facility was built in 1992, sponsored by the Middle District Lions, constructed by the New Zealand Army and designed by Worley Consultants. A large number of local businesses contributed to the construction and building of the hangar and a board acknowledging them is situated inside the hangar. In 2008 an extension was completed with the financial assistance of Mainzeal.

The service is available to everyone living in the region, and is also widely used by visitors, travellers and tourists who are in the area and experience illness or accident.

The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter is one of five rescue helicopter services in the Central North Island operated and managed by the Philips Search & Rescue Trust.