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What is on the equipment trolley? The answer might surprise you!

Sitting next to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter is a trolley with bags packed and ready to go whenever a mission comes in. Crews grab the bags they need dependent on the mission they are called to.

So, what’s on the trolley?

• Avalanche packs x 2
• Additional water rescue equipment
• Mechanical CPR machine
• Paediatric specific equipment bag
• Overnight pack with additional equipment and nutrition
• Hi-lines for boat winching
• Burns kit
• Spinal mattress

While this equipment isn’t needed on every job, when it’s required it is truly life-saving.

That’s why it’s always packed, checked and mission-ready.

Under the blue blanket in the corner of this photo is Les Bouterey. He was about to be winched into the rescue helicopter.

Les was on a day-trip to Cave Stream when a slip in the cave put him in grave danger.

When his wife Gay received the phone call from the rescue helicopter, she thought they were ringing to thank her for a recent donation. She had no idea her husband was on board.

“𝗚𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗽𝗮𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗲’𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀. 𝗜’𝗺 𝘀𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗷𝗼𝗯.”

Read the story of Les` rescue here: https://www.airrescue.co.nz/stories/from-donor-to-patient-the-call-gay-never-expected/

Or see the Patient Stories link on our Linktree

Photo credit: Merryl Peddie, Hato Hone St John