Back to Base

𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁
𝗖𝗿𝗲𝘄: 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗵, 𝗧𝗼𝗺, 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗳𝗳

Transporting a patient with a suspected spinal injury was made smoother and safer thanks to the new Hanmer Springs helipad.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to the North Canterbury town after a man was injured in an agricultural accident. It was the first time a rescue helicopter landed on the helipad.

The patient, who had been struck by a beam, was driven to the Hanmer Springs Medical Centre. Medical staff were immediately worried about a possible spinal injury. They immobilised the patient in the car while calling for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

Critical Care Paramedic Tom says they wheeled their stretcher from the helicopter straight to the patient in the parked car. They then moved him from the car onto the stretcher and then smoothly transported him to the helicopter - a seamless transition for the patient only possible thanks to the helipad and attached pathway.

"Without the new infrastructure we would have had to carry the patient or stretcher him over the bumpy grass – neither of which are ideal options for someone with suspected spinal injuries. The helipad allowed us to provide a superior level of care at such a critical time for this patient.”

The man was placed on a vacuum mattress, a specialised piece of equipment which moulds to a patient’s body once air is removed. Pain relief was administered and the rescue crew then transported him directly to Christchurch Hospital.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 $𝟳𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗱, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗶𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 $𝟰𝟲,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟭 𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟭 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻.

Inspired by his dad, Andrew is getting Back to Base this August.

"𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.”

Join the movement and get Back to Base this August for your rescue helicopters.

Sign up now. See Back to Base link in bio

Want to know more about Andrew’s inspiration? Read his story on the Back to Base website.

We`re really excited by the number of teams we have entering the Back to Base Challenge this year.

With 𝟮𝟭 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 and 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀 now signed up, we are expecting a fantastic year.

Welcome to
Rob Reynish`s Peninsula Peddler Team
@Enphase_ANZ
Lincoln Road Runners
@livetoruntrail
Logan & Jayden
Kawatiri Walkers and Runners
QTStones
@cantwestpacrescuehelicopter Trust Staff
@pendarvesyoungfarmers1
@livstrongfitnesspt
Tuesday Legends
Harris Team
@ucorienteering
Kayla McEloroy Team
@sthohnnz Mid Canterbury
Inches and odds
@christscollegenz
Annie Esser Team
@greatscottcommunications
@NZFlyingDoctors
@FlexFitnessBelfast

How incredibly lucky are we, and you, to have this kind of support. Last week @fitness.net.nz reached out to us and offered us these 2 Garmin watches as prizes. We haven`t decided exactly how you can win one yet, but we have some ideas, and we`ll give you more details next week. For now, keep signing up, keep getting those sponsors, and prepare to start the challenge in just one more week!