Amazing super heroes with a mission

Rodney Times

Jan 10 2012

They don’t want to be seen as heroes – in their minds they are just a team of hard-working people going about their daily duties. But to the rest of Auckland, the work of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust is invaluable. Summer means it is now the busiest time of year for rescue teams. Rhiannon Horrell and photographer Jason Oxenham spent a day with a crew.

The sight of the red and yellow Westpac Rescue Helicopter is a godsend for those injured in more remote parts of Rodney.

It’s frequently seen in the area attending crashes or medical emergencies.

Which is why many people and organisations here are keen fundraisers for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, based at Mechanics Bay on Tamaki Drive.

The trust has two helicopters costing around $3000 an hour to operate – and rescue teams were sent on 800 missions alone last year.

And the more rural areas north and west of Auckland are keen to ensure that service continues.

“To fly rescue operations is quite demanding,” pilot Paul Robinson says. “There’s mini-disciplines within it – like flying in cloud, learning how to use navigation equipment, flying in high winds, night-time flying and mastering remote landings, like landing in a paddock in the middle of the night.

“You don’t get these skills overnight. It takes years to get to this stage.”

Teams of three will usually head out on any mission – comprising a pilot, crewman and a paramedic – and it could be a patient transfer, a medical emergency or a search and rescue mission.

Mr Robinson, 41, says there’s always something to do, such as working out new co-ordinates for landing sites and analysing different routes.

“People just see the helicopter but for every hour we’re flying we do three, four or five hours work behind the scenes.”

He says another project he’s involved with is the development of new software which will help pilots and rescue crews search more effectively.

Mr Robinson has also flown with police operations, on low-level photography jobs and has worked as an instructor.

“All the guys here bring different skills to the job. We do a lot of ongoing training because we have to good at what we do – lives are at stake.”

Flight paramedic Russell Clarke of Muriwai Beach says there are always debrief sessions after missions as well as careful planning before they leave. “We used to rush out the door. But these days we stop, and first get as much info as we can. There’s not a lot of room on the back. Sometimes we need to reconfigure our gear.”

“Generally when we do winch jobs it’s very remote. Everyone has to work as a team. We have to plan ahead in case the patient deteriorates during the flight.”

To help the trust continue to meet high demand, trust chief executive Bob Parkinson says an order has just been placed for a state of the art helicopter.

“This is to ensure that we continue to provide the appropriate services. The people of Auckland will share the benefits of this.”

He says it will remain a two-machine operation, meaning the new delivery will replace one of the existing choppers.

“It will either be sold or used by another trust,” he says.

The trust’s fundraising and marketing manager John Hooper is full of admiration for the crews.

“These guys are unflappable. There’s often a lot of emotion going down, people are traumatised and yet it’s a seamless process.”

Mr Hooper says when there’s more than one job sometimes, the saving grace is that a machine may already be running.

“You either pull it off or deal with the consequences,” crewman Mark Cannell adds.

A sense of humour also goes a long way and the atmosphere at the helipad is a friendly one. Mr Cannell says sometimes the staff might have a barbeque outside but as soon as they sit down the phone will ring or a chopper will land and blow dust all over the steaks.