The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Taihape early on the morning of the Monday 26 December, for an elderly Mataroa resident suffering a severe medical condition.
He was airlifted to Whanganui Hospital in a serious condition for further treatment.
A short time later the rescue helicopter was sent to Dannevirke for a local man in his 50’s who had suffered serious burns to much of his body and head when a fire lighting went wrong.
The patient was flown to Palmerston North Hospital where his condition was stabilised.
Later that afternoon the patient required an emergency hospital transfer to the Hutt Valley Hospital for specialist treatment of his burns.
Whilst returning from the Hutt Valley, the rescue helicopter crew became aware of a patient in a serious condition in the Waiohine River in the eastern Tararua Ranges near Greytown, and was immediately re-directed arriving overhead the scene shortly after.
A Masterton man in his 60’s was suffering a heart attack on the river bank in an area of difficult access.
The on-board St John Ambulance Intensive Care Paramedic was lowered into the scene on the rescue hoist and extricated the patient who was then airlifted directly to the Wellington Hospital rooftop in a serious condition.
