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Canterbury’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter recorded a 40 percent increase in mission numbers for the first six months of 2021, reflecting a focus on faster treatment and better patient outcomes.
Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust Chief Executive, Christine Prince says the new helipad at Christchurch Hospital, which can take two choppers at a time, has been a gamechanger for the service with over 500 landings since it opened in November last year.
From 1 January to 30 June 2021, the Canterbury-based crew flew 404 missions, compared with 289 during the same period last year.
The West Coast Roa Mining Helicopter completed 20 percent more missions than last year in the six-month period to 30 June, with the West Coast crew flying 156 missions, compared with 130 in 2020.
Across the regions, July saw 97 missions alone, including eight missions in just one day. The majority were attending accidents or medical emergencies.
“The Covid lockdown could account for some of the overall increase when we compare against the previous year, but the increase is an ongoing trend. By this time last year lockdown was over and the increase has continued strongly,” Ms Prince says.
“Last weekend, the crew responded to eight missions across the region, including cardiac, maternity, several inter-hospital transfers, and accidents. As anticipated, mission numbers have increased this winter, with more people travelling locally and an increased risk of accident injuries and medical missions in the colder months.
“In trauma cases, such as road accidents and medical emergencies, getting emergency treatment to a patient at the scene within 60 minutes of an incident increases the patient’s chance of making a full recovery by over 80 per cent. In remote and hard-to-reach areas, the rescue helicopter service can mean the difference between life and death.”
Christine Prince says as the need for the choppers’ life-saving service increases year on year, there is still a lot more to do to fundraise for the widening gap.
“The introduction of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) this year, which enables the pilots to fly in adverse weather and low-cloud conditions, will give crew access to areas previously unreachable except by road, and increase mission numbers further,” she says.
The Westpac Chopper Gala and Charity Auction at Christchurch Town Hall on Thursday 5 August raised over $90,000 for the Canterbury rescue helicopter service, with 250 guests from the business community. It follows the annual Westpac Chopper Appeal in May which raised $1.1 million nationwide for the Westpac-sponsored helicopters.
“We are very grateful for the long-standing support of Westpac and all our fundraising community, many of whom are former patients,” she says.
For Fairlie sheep and beef farmer, Andrew Hurst, time was of the essence after a farm accident and life-threatening leg and back injury happened a three-hour drive from Christchurch.
“That 30-minute flight in the Westpac rescue helicopter in June 2019 certainly saved my life and my leg. Fast response time and excellent medical care have let me get back to my family and my career,” he told guests at the Westpac Gala fundraiser.
Now an ambassador for the Westpac Rescue helicopter service, he raised $60,000 for the service with events in Fairlie. “People don’t realise the helicopter is not just a quick way to get to hospital, it is a mobile A and E department with highly-trained paramedics on board and all the lifesaving equipment required for the job.
“After 14 operations on just over two years since the accident, my life is nearly back to normal.
I am extremely proud to be involved with such a worthwhile cause and some truly passionate people who are entrusted with saving our lives,” Hurst says.
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