Heavy bush cover in Whirinaki Forest Park created challenging conditions for the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team's weekend rescue mission. Photo: SUPPLIED
Rescuing an unwell teen from the bush was just one of many operations a local rescue helicopter team conducted last week.
The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter was called to Whirinaki Forest Park - in the Whakatane district - about 2pm on Saturday after a Personal Local Beacon was activated.
In a statement, the trust said a family was on their last day of a three-day walk of the Waterfall Look Track when a 16-year-old girl suffered a medical event.
Base manager and critical care flight paramedic Richard Curtis said the plan was to winch the girl out as the family was in dense bush.
Power limitations of the helicopter saw the crew first land on nearby farmland and offload gear.
The family then moved to a different location where the crew was able to land closer, cross a river and then walk the teenager and her father two kilometres up the road.
"But if her condition had deteriorated and winching was necessary, that offload could have cost us valuable time," Curtis said.
The trust said the rescue crew had a "hectic" schedule last week, completing 11 missions.
Other rescues included transporting patients who had suffered medical events to hospital, as well as attending and treating patients in traumas and vehicle crashes.
The Eastland Rescue Helicopter service was due to get use of a different aircraft for its search and rescue missions.
It had been delayed as it was needed for the wider Search and Rescue Services Ltd operation.
Curtis said when it did arrive, it would be helpful.
"When the replacement helicopter does arrive its will really support our work as it has more power, a longer winch line and winch capacity of over 270 kilograms.
"That extra grunt and winch capacity is critical to our operations so we're really looking forward to achieving that."
