Taking the motorbikes for a 5pm paddock bash to run their four pig dogs after school, was part of a typical Thursday for Sam and his 7-year-old son Oliver. But when Sam didn’t hear his son’s bike behind him, he turned back to see where he was. Finding his son unresponsive is a parent’s worst nightmare, and Sam knew instantly that the situation was serious. “I realised it was bad when he had a big gash on his head, blood coming out his nose but no screaming. I thought, s*** he’s dead.” “I was freaking out and it was really hard to find a pulse. When I finally found one, I ran back to my quad, yelled at the dogs to get up on the bike, and called 111.” Guided by the 111 despatch team, Sam moved Olly into the recovery position, removed his helmet and used his hoodie to tilt his head to stem the bleeding. At the end of the harrowing 19 minute, 30 second phone call, the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter and first response ute arrived together, and the experienced teams began to quickly assess Olly’s condition. After 35 minutes, Olly began to respond, but after quickly falling back unconscious, Olly was urgently flown to Starship in Auckland for assessment and treatment. Two MRI’s cleared Olly of a suspected skull fracture, but the development of hematomas at the back of his brain meant surgery was Olly’s next obstacle. The 2.5-hour surgery was scheduled for 12am Friday, with a plastic surgeon, eye specialist from Greenlane Hospital and a paediatric surgeon. From there, it was a waiting game for Olly to regain consciousness, said Sam. “The waiting game was just horrific. Olly was sleeping for four days after the accident, would wake up for a moment to talk, then fall back asleep again. “But from day five onwards, he started to make great improvements, all of a sudden, he was responding, and speaking in full sentences. It was a bit of a miracle I believe.” Throughout Oliver’s recovery, Sam, mum Georgia and stepmum Chandra were by his side providing support and after a long 12 days, Olly was finally discharged from Starship and returned home to a very relieved family. “Seeing the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter and first response teams arrive was just 100% relief. There’s only so much I can do, so I can’t thank the amazing team at Starship, Ronald McDonald house, and of course the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter for how easy they made it for us.” “We’re so lucky.” Before Christmas, Sam, Chandra, Olly and his best mate Ridge, made up a gift basket to say thanks to the crew and Olly got to meet with two of the guys who looked after him. “We’re so aware of helicopters now and living rural, when we see it or hear it, you just think ‘Oh God’.” “The experiences that the crew have to deal with, they’re just an amazing service. The experiences they deal with, normally it’s not a good outcome, but in our case, thankfully it was.” Sam said when Olly sees any helicopter in the sky now, he asks ‘is that my helicopter.” Sam is incredibly grateful for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter crew and service available to the community. “If you want to do something, support them and give them some recognition and if you can donate, please do.” “It’s a service that we’re just so lucky to have.”

Toni doesn’t remember many details from a Friday evening in September 2018. But she knows that she wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter and crew. Driving on State Highway 3A between Inglewood and Lepperton, Toni was suffering a mental health crisis which resulted in a serious car accident that left her with life-threatening injuries. Following the accident Toni was unconscious and in a critical condition with a severe GCS-3 brain injury. Every moment counted for her survival and it’s what happened in the vital minutes afterwards that made all the difference. The Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, with a Critical Care Paramedic, Crew and Pilot on-board, responded immediately – providing lifesaving care before rapidly transporting her to Waikato Hospital where she was able to receive the emergency care needed to save her life. “I am extremely grateful for what the rescue crew did to me when I was in such a critical condition. Without their expertise, I absolutely wouldn’t be alive today.” One year later in 2019, Toni was on the road to recovery and well enough to join us at the TaranakiRescue Helicopter open day. “It was a surreal feeling seeing the helicopter and knowing how much work they had to do on me to get me stable enough for the flight. A nurse friend of mine has told me the flight crew commented that they couldn’t believe I survived the flight.” Emergencies can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone – and Toni knows how privileged we are to have a rapid lifesaving service like the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter available. “I’m in awe of what they do for our community.” For Toni, the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter gave her a second chance at life – a second chance she’s incredibly thankful for. She is still here today and wants to inspire others that recovery, both physically and mentally, is completely possible. Thank you Toni for bravely sharing your story. NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor. Lifeline 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) Depression Helpline (open 24/7) 0800 111 757 Suicide Crisis Helpline (open 24/7) 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) Youthline (open 24/7) 0800 376 633 You can also text 234 for free between 8am and midnight, or email talk@youthline.co.nz

Taranaki Rescue Helicopter is delighted to welcome Taranaki Offshore Partnership (TOP) to our family of sponsors to support the vital emergency response service for the region and our communities. TOP’s sponsorship is specifically for the Rescue Winch, which is critical during missions where the helicopter cannot land. An important piece of equipment, the winch ensures the crew can carry out rescues in situations where landing would be difficult or hazardous, such as from the water or in alpine areas that Taranaki is known for. Giacomo Caleffi from Taranaki Offshore Partnership says that their sponsorship reflects TOP’s commitment to the local community as it investigates the potential for an offshore wind farm in the South Taranaki Bight. “While we’re still only in the feasibility investigation stage, we know from our experience of developing offshore wind farms around the world how important local communities are to getting things right and unlocking the benefits.” “Our proposed offshore wind farm would not only deliver renewable energy at scale to support the decarbonisation of the New Zealand economy, but also at the local level, create skilled jobs and help to smooth the regions transition away from emissions intensive industries,” says Mr Caleffi. The Rescue Winch sponsorship helps to cover the cost of annual winch training that is needed for Taranaki Rescue Helicopter crew and pilots, while also contributing to essential maintenance for the winch and cable. Chair of the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, Evan Cottam, says it’s thanks to the commitment and support from our sponsors that the rescue helicopter can continue to provide this life-saving service 24/7, 365 days a year. “It’s fantastic to have Taranaki Offshore Partnership come on board as the new naming sponsor for the Rescue Winch, we greatly appreciate the generosity and the ongoing commitment from local businesses which help to keep our vital life-saving service available for our community,” said Mr Cottam. In the past year, the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter has completed more than 300 missions, armed with life-saving equipment, rescue personnel and trauma-trained medics. TOP’s sponsorship will be acknowledged with branding on the rescue helicopter and the rescue winch will now be known as the ‘Taranaki Offshore Partnership Winch’.

Between 1 June 2022 and 31 May 2023, the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter crew responded to 306 missions across our region – from New Plymouth to Hawera and everywhere in between. This included 154 emergency and medical events, 114 inter-hospital transfers allowing patients to receive the hospital care they required, and 27 search and rescues. All of these missions ensured people within our community were able to receive life-saving care when they needed it most. You never think it’s going to happen to you, but emergencies can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. What happens in the minutes after makes all the difference and our crew is ready to provide rapid response in timecritical situations 24/7, 365 days a year. Each and every year the number of people needing our life-saving service is steadily increasing – over the last five years we’ve seen a 57% increase. Alongside this, the cost of providing this free-of-chargeservice is also rising. On average, each mission costs $12,000. This includes our helicopter, maintenance, fuel, a full-time crew, critical care flight paramedics, and life-saving medical equipment. Your donations help us keep us in the sky. Whether you donate $5 or $1000 – know that you are valued member of team Taranaki and we appreciate your generosity. Support your rescue crew by making a donation today.

Keen observers of the sky may have spotted our crew back in a yellow helicopter! You might remember our long serving yellow and black Augusta helicopter (ITR), which was sold as it no longer suited the needs of our crew and region. Following that we borrowed an aircraft for around 12 months, before receiving a black & white BK117, IIX, in January 2022. More recently the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter has undergone another change. This has seen us swapping the black and white IIX with the crew in Tauranga - for a HES, which is also a BK117 – effectively it’s the same aircraft when it comes to operation for our crew. It’s incredibly beneficial for us to have a BK117, as it’s the same type of helicopter as the rest of the partner fleet (which includes a number of rescue helicopters across the North Island). This means it’s easier for us to interchange pilots or crew when needed and hold group training while also providing more availability for spare parts and overcoming the weight carrying shortcomings of the ITR. For our crew and community, an important factor is that the yellow HES has a more powerful winch. If you know anything about our region, you will understand why this is more suited to the Taranaki terrain. Plus, as a very superficial bonus we’re back to yellow - a colour we know and love which better represents Taranaki!

“Because of the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, I still have my brother alive today" In June 2019, Blair received a phone call no brother wants to receive: his youngest brother Tilven had been in a motorcycle accident in Hawera. His brother was stable thanks to quick action taken by bystanders and paramedics, however it’s what happened in the vital minutes afterward that Blair believes saved his life. The Taranaki Rescue Helicopter ZK-ITR at the Hawera Helipad responded immediately and flew Blair’s brother from Hawera to Wellington Hospital. “My kids still to this day, nearly four years on, remember seeing the helicopter flying over us as we arrived at the hospital. Because of the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, I still have my brother alive today,” said Blair. Prior to the accident, Blair was already a Friend of the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust, after becoming involved with the organisation in 2012. “We once helped TRHT stuff envelopes, and my mum won a bottle of wine in the raffle, prompting me to become a regular donor. When my daughter was 6 months old (she’s now 10), she featured on the TRHT Facebook page sitting in the helicopter.” Blair now lives in Melbourne, where he continues to support the life-saving emergency services in his community. “I sponsor the Victoria Flying Doctors and I have joined the Country Fire Authority.” “My family appreciates all that Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust has done for us. Thank you for the service you provided in 2019 for my family, and the commitment you give to the community. It must be time to update that photo of Hannah Jane (and now Huntar) in the ZK-xii when we are back in NZ next!”

A search and rescue mission that led to Joe Ganley spending a night in the bush with a rescue patient made such an impact that he discovered a new calling and immediately applied to be a crewman on the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter – and the rest is history! Joining the team with plenty of experience in the field, Joe brings with him a background working as a Ski Patroller on Mt Ruapehu. This role saw him spending time on the snow carrying out medic duties, mitigating avalanche risks, completing technical rescues and safety inspections – and of course, the occasional mission skiing on the slopes. Now having recently made the move to New Plymouth, Joe is looking forward to serving our fantastic local community with the rescue helicopter. ‘It's amazing how many people come up and talk to us in our uniforms, and they tell us a story about how they or someone they know was helped by us. It's truly amazing how far the community reach is.’As a keen traveller, Joe has always enjoyed exploring his own backyard and different parts of New Zealand. The opportunity to join the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter crew was perfect for Joe as it combined his love of travel and seeing the country with his passion for medicine and rescue. While still new to the Taranaki community, Joe is loving how friendly and welcoming everyone has been. He has already been soaking up the great outdoors the region has to offer and was pleasantly surprised just how many activities were in such close range – a few of his favourites include skiing, hiking, surfing, and fly fishing. Joe is now focusing on integrating himself into the community while also further his learning, with just one semester left before completing a BhSC in Paramedicine!

Living in the Eastern Taranaki settlement of Huinga, Brendan has a close association with the rural Taranaki farming community and the challenges that steeper contour, adverse climatic events and developing infrastructure can present to our rural community members. Born in Stratford and married to Susan Mundt, Brendan has forged a successful career in the dairy sector with a focus on supporting the dairy industry on its journey towards a sustainable future. Passionate about people, Brendan has enjoyed being part of teams who have operated within the NZ dairy sector, and for a number of years worked on international dairy industry ventures in Ireland, China and South America. Locally Brendan was instrumental in the retention of the Dairy Industry on-farm research capability in the Taranaki province and the driving force behind the creation of Dairy Trust Taranaki, of which he was the founding chair. A strong advocate for young emerging leaders in Dairy, Brendan commits a significant amount of his time to sharing his experiences and building robust local dairy farming businesses. Out of work Brendan is passionate about the NZ Cross Country Moto Cross scene and on a regular basis travels to the Northern Territory in Australia to tackle the uncompromising Simpson Desert. Brendan is committed to contributing where he can, to ensure the Taranaki region has a sustainable and industry leading rescue helicopter service.

Returning to New Zealand after four years of living in Switzerland, Chris and his wife were looking for somewhere new to live, having always enjoyed visiting New Plymouth they settled on calling the Taranaki home. With a lifelong passion for flying and 12 years’ experience working as a helicopter pilot for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, joining the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter crew was an obvious choice for Chris. Coming on board, Chris thought the flying would be the most satisfying part of the job, but quickly realised there was something special about helping people. ‘It is seeing the look of relief on people’s faces when you arrive to pick them up and knowing that we are helping people when they need it the most’. He was also blown away and moved by the amazing community they discovered when moving to Taranaki, particularly how much everyone loves and appreciates the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter here. ‘I’ve had people shake my hand, buy me coffee, and tell me they love me (more the helicopter I think). Has taken a little bit of getting used to’. Hailing from the UK but growing up in New Zealand, Chris has spent time living in some beautiful places including Wellington, Wairarapa, Manawatu and further afield overseas. But he absolutely loves the unique feel of New Plymouth – with two little dogs, Chris and his wife, enjoy exploring the many different dog walking areas Taranaki has to offer. ‘Everyone has something positive to say about the region, have yet to meet someone who does not like living here’! His love of helicopters and vehicles in general extends beyond flying the real thing, outside of work Chris loves building model helicopters, planes, and cars – but with it a twist, it can only be ones he has owned or used in real life.

At 10.45am Laurence Corlett phoned his wife to let her know he was having a heart attack. Just two hours later, he was landing at Waikato Hospital – having flown on a crucial transfer flight with Taranaki Rescue Helicopter. Fit and healthy, 43-year-old Laurence was the kind of guy that attended CrossFit and Jiu-Jitsu sessions multiple times every week and even completed a half-marathon just two weeks prior. But on the morning of his heart attack, he knew something wasn’t quite right. ‘I was doing Jiu-Jitsu and felt really exhausted, absolutely gassed. I was just thinking this is weird, this is not right. I should not be this tired doing five minutes of rolls’. His intuition proved to be right, and it wasn’t long into his Jiu-Jitsu training that he suspected he might actually be having a heart attack. Not wanting to worry his mates, Laurence headed out the door and phoned his wife, Paula - simply saying ‘I’m having a heart attack’. Paula rushed Laurence to the hospital where he was immediately taken through to the emergency department. By the time his wife parked the car and came inside he was hooked up to all sorts of machines and was surrounded by the medical team. Laurence recalls being told he was going to be transferred to Hamilton in the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter. ‘I was scared, I was panicking, and they said you’re having a heart attack but don’t worry we will get you in the helicopter to Hamilton’ Before this could happen, Laurence needed thrombolysis but then he went into cardiac arrest while still in the resus bay of the emergency department. For five terrifying minutes medical staff worked to resuscitate Laurence. ‘My poor wife was in the room the whole time… they asked if she wanted to leave but she said no, she wanted to stay and help me through. Luckily after about 5 minutes I came back into the land of the living’ While this was an incredibly frightening experience for both Laurence and his wife, boarding the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter and meeting the crew provided them with relief. Initially scared about going on the helicopter, worried that he might suffer another heart attack, Laurence found himself feeling calmer throughout the flight. ‘You’re scared and you’re unsure - you just know that going in the helicopter you’re heading to the right place. It was a massive relief to be in the rescue helicopter’. More than a third of missions completed by Taranaki Rescue Helicopter are inter-hospital transfers. These crucial flights allow patients to reach hospitals where they can access the specialist treatment they need. For a patient like Laurence, getting to specialists at Waikato Hospital in the shortest amount of time possible was crucial, and without the rescue helicopter his story could have had a different ending When talking about the importance of the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, Laurence knows how lucky and privileged they were to have a lifesaving service like this available. ‘You don’t think it will happen to you, but it could happen to anyone. It’s vital. Time is just so vital, and time is of the essence in a situation like this’. Laurence recalls the calming effect that came over him while on the rescue helicopter on-route to Waikato Hospital. Knowing he was in the capable hands of the crew also helped his family. He had  three teenage sons who were sitting at home incredibly worried, and for them knowing he was in a safe place and heading to the specialist care he needed in Hamilton helped them understand he was going to be okay. Laurence is now home in New Plymouth and recovering, thinking back to his experience he can’t believe how quick the entire journey was – from feeling unwell to arriving at Waikato Hospital, he is sure that speed played a large role in the outcome and his overall recovery. ‘To get me from having a heart attack at Jiu jitsu in New Plymouth to the specialist care I needed at the hospital in Hamilton in two hours is an amazing service. The speed and how amazing they made me feel, we’re so lucky to have that’.

From a young age, Helicopter Crewman Tiffany Yule wanted to be involved in aviation. Now, after moving home to the Taranaki region, she’s combining her love of aviation with her passion for the community and helping people as a Helicopter Crewman with Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust (TRHT). Tiffany joins the Taranaki crew after serving with the Royal New Zealand Navy as a Helicopter Loadmaster for the past 16 years. “I joined the Navy as a fresh-faced kid straight out of school, originally as a hydrographer (ocean/beach surveyor),” Tiffany said. “Being involved in aviation as a career is exciting. Professional development and striving to be better is a must, and you never stop learning. Challenging tasks, working with other professionals who are always striving to be better is what keeps it an inviting career.” “Every time we get airborne, we are going to make a difference to someone’s life. Every flight minute is for a known purpose and goal, and I love feeling like I’m making a difference.” Tiffany said one positive surprise about joining TRHT has been how family-friendly the base is, and the spirit of the community that backs the TRHT. The move home to Taranaki has been a positive change for Tiffany and her family, who lived in Auckland for the last 16 years. “We moved to Taranaki to offer our children the opportunity of a rural upbringing like I had, better work/life balance, and to enjoy quality time with my own siblings and family,” Tiffany said. “The region has always had a strong sense in pride of place, and is still evident since I’ve returned. The region itself is beautiful and a wonderful backdrop for outdoor activities.” Tiffany said while some places haven’t changed, New Plymouth has “developed into such a cool, progressive place where people are free to, and welcomed to, express themselves.” Tiffany is enjoying exploring the region with her daughters, by bike and foot. “I love to work out and stay active, so the walkway is awesome! I play for a local hockey club, enjoy wakeboarding, and hope to engage in some community work soon, now that I have a schedule that allows it!” Tiffany said she is a big advocate for supporting local where possible. “I thoroughly enjoy heading to the local Huatoki Farmers Market and Seaside Markets at Ngamotu. So many wonderful artisan producers to support and admire. I’m keen to explore South Taranaki more and discover some hidden gems!” And her favourite food places? “Kneads Donuts for sure! And the local sourdough baker at Taranaki Farmers Market – give them a try!”

A lifelong passion for protecting and saving lives led Amanda Aislabie to the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter crew, joining the team as an Intensive Care Flight Paramedic. With a background working on ambulances and rapid response vehicles she jumped at the opportunity to make her dream of becoming a flight paramedic a reality. ‘I have always been interested in working on helicopters and have completed Aeromedical Postgraduate studies. The opportunity came up to work with the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, so I jumped at the chance to be a part of an awesome team providing medical care to the Taranaki community’. Amanda’s career experience is extensive, and her love of lifesaving has always been apparent - beginning at just 14, when she joined her local surf lifesaving club. Even at a young age her ambitions and passion for the medical field were clear, so after finishing school it was an easy decision to jump into a Bachelor of Health Science in Paramedicine while also working for St John. ‘From there my career has been varied gaining a wealth of experience working on ambulances and rapid response vehicles both rurally and in metropolitan areas. I went on to become a registered nurse working in busy city Emergency Departments as well’. Growing up in Auckland and previously living in Central Otago, Taranaki wasn’t always on the cards for the Amanda - but she didn’t hesitate to make the move, with her ‘furbaby’ Maverick, to pursue her dream career in the aeromedicine space. Although New Plymouth is bigger than the Central Otago town she moved from, she values the close-knit community of her new home. ‘The community here is great, everyone has been very welcoming’. Making the most of her new surroundings, Amanda is soaking up all the outdoor activities - she loves that there is always something to do in Taranaki with easy access to both the mountains and beach!