“Timely and professional work done on the ground before we even arrive is a big part of many of our mission runs,” a team spokesman says.

“Another example was a trauma event involving two patients at Ruatoria earlier in the week. The local Hato Hone St John crew did fantastic work before we got there and that can have a big impact on patient outcome.”

Those missions were two of five completed by the Eastland Rescue Helicopter in the seven days from May 26 :

— May 28, 9.09am — The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to a medical event at Hastings, flying the patient in serious condition to Wellington Hospital.

— May 29, 4pm — The team responded to a trauma at Morere, from where their patient was flown in serious condition to Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.

— May 30, 6.50pm – They were dispatched to Ruatoria for a trauma event that required two patients be flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.

— June 1, 2.31am — The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter carried out an inter-region transfer, transporting their patient in critical condition from Gisborne to Waikato Hospital.

— June 1, 5.40pm — The team responded to a motor vehicle accident at Whatatutu, flying their patient in serious condition to Gisborne Hospital.

CAPTION: SOUTH-BOUND: As part of last week’s mission schedule, the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team responded to a trauma at Morere, flying their patient in serious condition to Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.