The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was dispatched on Monday 25 December, at 10.30 am to Tinui, where a 17-month-old boy had suffered burns to his face, head and chest from a cup of hot coffee. The seriousness of the burns had been reduced due to the quick actions of the family who had immediately soaked the boy in the shower.
The boy was treated at the scene by the onboard paramedic for superficial burns. Due to the remote location, the boy and his mother were transferred in the rescue helicopter to Masterton Hospital for further treatment.
The rescue helicopter was then dispatched again 6 pm, this time to Mangaweka, where a 53-year-old woman had fallen from a bike and sustained injuries to her ribs. She was treated at the scene before being transported to Palmerston North Hospital for further treatment.
The previous day, the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to a two-car collision that occurred approx 2km from the Otoko Marae, State Highway 4 on the Parapara’s.
An 18-year-old female passenger of one of the vehicles received a possible head injury and lower back injury. She was airlifted to Whanganui Hospital for treatment. Five other occupants of the vehicles were transported by road ambulance to Whanganui Hospital.