Waiheke Island is in the Hauraki Gulf, 35 minutes by ferry from Auckland, NZ. There is a permanent population of 8,000 that increases to over 45,000 in the holiday periods. For years, there had been a serious need on Waiheke Island for an all-weather helicopter pad that is easily accessible by St John Ambulance for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

 

Three years ago a Rangihoua Reserve Hearings Panel recommended a long term lease for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust to build a helipad on land between the tennis courts and the football fields at the Onetangi Sports Ground. Auckland City Council gave a quote of over $NZ100,000 for this to be built with a road leading to it and a lockable gate.

 

A few hardy Rotarians and friends combined their talents and late in 2015 the job was done at a total cost for materials of $6,000. A local philanthropist donated this amount, so the whole job cost the community nothing.

 

A spokesperson for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Trust, Leanda Hunt, stated, “22 to25 percent of all Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust missions are flown to Waiheke Island each year.  In total, the Auckland Rescue Helicopter flies around 1100 missions a year, so that is 220-275 people rescued every year! The landing site would vary, depending on patient need, and we are able to land in many places.  However since the development of the dedicated helipad on Waiheke Island, we would now use that site in approximately 70 percent of cases.  This is because it not only provides a safe landing zone for the helicopter, but also with the inclusion of a sealed road, this provides easy access by St John Ambulance crews.  This can be particularly important in the winter when the conditions can be very wet and muddy.”

 

One of the patients saved was a local, Jeanette Cahill, who had recently moved on to the island. In the early hours of October 31, she awoke with a searing stab in her head and, being a nurse, knew that she had suffered a brain hemorrhage. Her partner, Wayne Burton, phoned 111 St John Ambulance who came immediately, called the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and drove straight out to the new helipad. Jeanette was in the hospital within minutes and the doctors have told her that she would not have survived the subarachnoid hemorrhage if it had taken any longer before treatment. She is almost completely recovered, except for double vision, and is extremely grateful for Rotary’s gift to Waiheke Island.

 

This impressive project won Rotary District 9920’s Project Excellence Award at District Conference on the Gold Coast of Australia in April.