Robert Brouwer sees the Westpac rescue helicopter almost every month. With 20 years of experience in ground search and rescue, he is very familiar with the process.
Brouwer is the DoC ranger and goaltender on the Kauaeranga Kauri Trail in the Coromandel Forest Park – often known as Pinnacles Walk.
Robert Brouwer
“The most common rescue at Pinnacles is a sprained ankle or a fracture,” says Brouwer.
“The walk is 6 km long with lots of steps, making it almost impossible to get out. In the same vein, the realization of stretchers is also a challenge and could take five to six hours.
Brouwer’s role is often to be the first point of contact for injured people; he administers first aid and cares for the patient until the arrival of the helicopter.
He secures the platform at the Pinnacles cabin for landing and crowd control, which can often involve members of the public who interfere while trying to take pictures by helicopter.
“I have always appreciated the professionalism of helicopter crews and their good radio communication with me, which allows me to do my part more easily,” he said.
The Auckland rescue helicopter from Westpac has already been tasked with four rescue missions at the Pinnacles this year.
During the Easter weekend, a man in his twenties fell three meters while walking in this popular place.
“The patient was in an uncomfortable place where he could still fall,” said Lincoln Davies, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust Communications Manager.
On this occasion, members of the public helped the man while the helicopter crew was fetching the terrestrial SAR cable.
In January, the crew also helped a fractured teenager with ankle. In February, he was a man in his 20s who was at risk of a broken leg. In March, they were summoned by a 40-year-old doctor.
The pilot of the Westpac rescue helicopter, Rob Arrowsmith, who has military experience in the air force, says that the main advantage of the helicopter lies in the speed with which it can arrive compared to the ambulances. Army.
“We can get to Pinnacles in 23 minutes, average rescues take 10 to 20 minutes, then it takes 25 minutes to fly to Auckland or Waikato Hospital,” said Arrowsmith.
“A month ago, a confident mountaineer near the Pinnacles had problems when his pack of camels was torn apart by a branch. He ran out of water and became dehydrated, so he called for help. We picked it up, took it to the Pinnacles cabin and hydrated it, “he explained.
“Most have suffered minor injuries, but the Pinnacles is a very remote area and is not where you want to be, even if you suffer from broken ankle,” added Lincoln Davies.
This year’s Easter weekend saw 12 rescues of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, nearly half as much as last year, but the busy Auckland service generates an average of 1,000 rescues a year, according to Davies.
Not only are New Zealand’s remote areas or adrenaline junkies benefiting from rescue helicopters, but Waiheke Island is Auckland’s most popular helicopter destination. The island accounts for almost a third of their annual missions and rescuers are mainly elderly people who need a medical mission to the hospital.
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