Life Flight

Each week 28 people need time-critical aeromedical care. With your support, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Air Ambulance Planes are there in their moment of need.

Air Ambulance Planes

Air Ambulance Stats Block

Your Air Ambulance Planes

Transferring critically ill and injured patients across New Zealand, thanks to you.

  • Provides 24/7 emergency medical service
  • Charges $0 to patients
  • Flies 22 patients a week

Your crew

The crew

Flying 24/7 thanks to your generous donations.

  • Pilot

    In addition to meticulously managing every flight detail, our dedicated pilots prioritize the safety and comfort of patients. This commitment extends to providing extra-soft landings for patients with spinal injuries and maintaining stable air pressure for those with brain injuries. Our pilots are provided by AirFreight New Zealand.
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  • Crewperson

    You may find the crewperson managing communications, equipment, loading and unloading patients, and helping with patient care in the air. The crew are essential to ensuring the best outcomes for our patients.
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  • Flight doctor / nurse

    The flight nurses and doctors from Health NZ require specialist aero-medical training - to be a member of this team requires significant skill and experience. They ensure patients receive the highest level of care from bed to bed.
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Equipment onboard

Lifesaving equipment, made possible thanks to generous people like you.

 

  • Patient Transfer Vehicle

    To transfer patients from the Hospital to the waiting aircraft, for a smooth and efficient journey. It has been modified to fit our patients' needs, capable of powering heavy equipment like newborn incubators, and equipped with a built-in stretcher rail for smooth loading and unloading.
  • Ferno INX Power Stretcher

    This stretcher is a game-changer for patient transfers. It's easy to maneuver so patients are smoothly and safely transported in and out of the aircraft and it has fully automated controls that avoid the crew needing to manually lift patients. With the press of a button, the battery-powered stretcher can lift, lower, load and unload.
  • Ventilator

    The intensive-care ventilator helps patients breathe when they cannot do so themselves.
  • Zoll monitor

    Continuously monitors a patient's heart rhythm and can provide shocks if necessary to restore a regular heartbeat. Most patients are attached to the Zoll Monitor and their vitals are tracked throughout the flight.
  • Pedi Mate

    The Pedi Mate is a stretcher attachment that enables us to safely transport children aged 1.5 months to 5 years. Rather than having an alternative stretcher for our smaller patients, this attachment keeps them secure and safe while being transported. Best suited for weights between 4.5 Kg to 18 Kg.
  • Oxygen Saturation Monitor

    This portable device measures how much oxygen is carried through the patient's blood. Various disease states like heart failure, chronic lung disease, or sleep apnea can lower a patient's oxygen levels and will then require supplemental oxygen during the flight.
  • Incubator

    The tiniest patients fly in the incubator provided by Wellington NICU to and from specialist care around the country. Babies as young as 24 weeks and a few hundred grams are placed in the incubator for safe passage.
  • Medical Bags

    The medical teams have go-bags that relate to the severity of the patients' condition. This includes Full Intensive Care, Paediatric, Neonatal Intensive Care and Maternity.

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