The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter had a busy month in December, carrying out 58 lifesaving missions throughout the month.

This included 34 inter-hospital transfers, 8 medical events, 10 rural or farming-related incidents, 5 motor vehicle accidents, and 1 rescue mission. The helicopter was commonly seen in Putaruru, Raglan, Whangamata and Rotorua Hospital, with the most visited location being Tauranga Hospital, making up for 11 of the total missions flown.

Throughout the month, 11 missions were also carried out to the Coromandel region, accounting for almost 20 per cent of all missions.

On Saturday morning, December 3 the helicopter was dispatched to Te Kuiti for a young boy who had suffered leg injuries after falling off a motorbike. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Sunday afternoon, December 4, a trip was made to Tokoroa Hospital for a man in his 70s suffering from seizures. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Wednesday morning, December 7, the chopper was tasked to transport a preterm baby from Tauranga Hospital. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Sunday morning, December 11, was dispatched to Kerepehi for a man in his 30s who was suffering from serious injuries after being involved in an MVA. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Tuesday morning, December 20, a trip to Raglan for a woman in her 30s who had been involved in a serious MVA and had suffered multiple serious injuries. The patient was stabilised at the scene and was airlifted to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Saturday night, December 24, the crew arrived in a small rural area south of Te Awamutu looking for a teenage boy who had suffered serious injuries after being involved in a motorbike accident. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Christmas day, crew were tasked to transport a woman in her 60s who was suffering from a critical medical event. The patient was flown from Tauranga Hospital to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The next day, the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Whitianga for a teenage boy who had critical injuries after falling off his motorbike. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On December 28, the helicopter was dispatched to Raglan for a young girl who was suffering from critical injuries. The patient was transported to Waikato Hospital for further treatment. That night, the helicopter was dispatched to Te Aroha for a man in his 80s who had fallen and suffered head injuries. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The month ended with being dispatched on Friday night, December 31, to Whangamata for a teenage boy who had fallen and suffered serious head injuries. The patient was flown to Waikato hospital for further treatment.

Meanwhile, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter carried out 51 lifesaving missions throughout December, a 73 per cent increase compared to November, making it the second busiest month of 2022. This included 25 inter-hospital transfers, 9 medical events, 12 rural or farming-related incidents, 4 motor vehicle accidents and 1 rescue mission. There was a double in rural missions compared with November, including 4 missions to Matakana Island.

The month started with the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter being dispatched to Matakana Island early on December 1st for a man in his 60s who was experiencing respiratory issues. The patient was flown to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment.

On Monday afternoon, December 5, it was in Te Kaha for a woman in her 60s who had fallen and suffered serious leg injuries. The patient was flown to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment.

The next day, the Aerocool was sent to Te Kaha Medical Centre for a toddler who was suffering from a fever. The patient was in serious condition and was flown to Whakatane Hospital for further treatment.

On Saturday, December 17, the Aerocool was dispatched to Matakana Island for a male patient who had suffered serious leg injuries after a skiing accident. The patient was transported alongside his partner to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment.

On Tuesday morning, December 20, crews arrived at a rural town near Waihi for a man in his 70s who was suffering from a serious medical event. The patient was flown to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment.

On Thursday afternoon, December 22, the it was sent to Waihi for a man in his 80s who was suffering from a serious cardiac event. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital.

On Friday morning, December 23, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to a male patient suffering from a serious medical event on board a cruise ship off the coast of Tauranga. That same morning, it was dispatched to Waihi for a woman in her 70s who was suffering from a critical medical event.

The rescue team was then dispatched back to Waihi for an elderly male who was suffering from a cardiac event. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

On Saturday morning, December 31, the helicopter was dispatched to Pauanui for a teenage girl who had fallen from a tree and suffered serious leg injuries. The patient was flown to Auckland Hospital for further treatment.