Rescue helicopter on show

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 671, 28 January 1997, Page 1

Rescue helicopter on show

The Trans Rail Rescue Helicopter that now offi cially covers the Waimarino was on show in Raetihi on Saturday, in a demonstration involving local police, St John Ambulance staff and volunteer fire brigades. After a delay while the helicopter was called to a medical emergency near Taihape, the crews set about working through a car crash rescue. The scenario was that two cars had collided, leaving two people trapped and badly injured. Fire service, ambulance and police arrived and assessed the situation, calling the rescue helicopter. The exercise involved stabilising the patients, using car cutting equipment to extricate them, then transporting them to hospital, one by road ambulance and one in the helicopter. The Trans Rail Rescue Helicopter is operated by the

Philips Search and Rescue Trust which was set up in 1985, after the managing director of Philips NZ Ltd died in an aeroplane accident near the Desert Road. The company donated funds to get the trust started. The trust is a nonprofit organisation, with its major sponsor being Trans Rail at present, hence the name. The trust' s objective is "to provide a timely and highest possible standard of air search, rescue and ambulance service in New Zealand at no cost to the patient. Palmerston North Hospital is the machine' s base, where it is hangared. This enables rapid crewing and response, with hospital medical and/or paramedic staff from the « hospital available. The machine can be in the air within ■ five minutes during the day and 10 minutes at night and can be in Raetihi within 30 minutes or Turoa Skifields in Turn to Page 2

Rescue helicopter on show

FROM PAGE 1 35 minutes. If necessary, the helicopter can bring an intensive care unit doctor to an accident scene. The helicopter is an AS 350BA Squirrel, a singleengine machine with adequate headroom for one patient on a stretcher in normal circumstances. Two stretchers can be carried if absolutely necessary. The Squirrel helicopter meets the standards of the Air Ambulance Air Rescue Division of the Aviation Industry Association of New Zealand.

Equipment available includes a winch, 'night sun' , satellite navigation system, autopilot, direction finder for emergency locater beacons. Medical equipment includes a cardiac monitor and defibrillator, vital signs monitor, advanced paramedic support drugs, fixed and portable oxygen, anti-shock trousers, emergency traction splint, suction etc. The trust is funded one third from corporate sponsors, one third by community groups and the 'Friends of the Trans Rail Rescue Helicopter" and one third

from ACC, hospitals, Police, and St John Ambulance. Anyone can become a member of the 'Friends' group, at a cost of $35. As well as supporting the trust, membership provides for medical transportation from within New Zealand back to Palmerston North or Wanganui hospitals if such a transfer is not otherwise available. In the demonstration on Saturday, cutting equipment that can be carried by

the helicopter if necessary was used. Bruce Bocock, volunteer support officer for the Fire Service, said extra cutting equipment is now on standby to back up fire brigades. He said usually a brigade's equipment is enough but that one day an extra set may be necessary, such as in a multiple vehicle accident. "One day we're going to strike something big and this equipment will be worth it."

When carried, the cutting equipment would be accompanied by two Palmerston North fire service people who would operate it. As well as air rescue work, the machine is used by the police for search and rescue, by the Armed Offenders Squad, and provides air support for crime fighting, including transporting members of the police dog section.