New rescue chopper on show

Hundreds turned out to the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter open day at its base at Taupō Airport on Sunday to see the new H145 helicopter, take part in activities and chat with representatives from emergency services on site.

Aircrew officer Mark Bond said the response had been awesome and thanked the team involved in fundraising for their effort in equipping the helicopter with a new rescue winch.

It had been a massive campaign, he said.

“It’s good to get it here for the public and show them.”

There had been some major equipment upgrades over the years since 2018 when he started with the rescue helicopter, said Bond, whose roles include operating the winch, keeping an eye on safety on the helicopter, as well as occasionally being on hand in the cockpit to help the pilot or assisting the critical care paramedics.

As well as a chance to get up close and personal with the rescue helicopter and crew, the open day featured live demonstrations, face painting, games, and giveaways.