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Benn Bathgate / Stuff
Rotorua MP Todd McClay, Rotorua Rescue Helicopter Trust President Mark Mortimer, and National Health Spokesperson Dr. Shane Reti.
Rotorua’s rescue helicopter will return if National is elected to form the next government.
Health spokesman Shane Reti made the pledge during a visit to Rotorua’s Volcanic Air hanger with Rotorua MP Todd McClay and Rotorua Rescue Helicopter Trust president Mark Mortimer on Monday.
“A national government will restore a rescue helicopter in Rotorua,” he said.
National would provide $ 1.6 million in annual health budget funding to help fund the service, which was phased out in 2018 as part of a national review.
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McClay said the old rescue helicopter “should never have been sold.”
“This is an extremely busy area and you can’t put a cost on saving lives,” he said.
“Since it was sold, the demand for the service has remained high. It is the only rescue helicopter in the country that was canceled. “
McClay said he was aware of incidents when a rescue helicopter was too far away, meaning ground support had to be used, and cases where a helicopter had to fly from Auckland, Hamilton or Taranaki.
“This just doesn’t make sense.”
He said that to ensure the long-term sustainability of a new service, the Rotorua Rescue Helicopter Trust will operate it locally.
“The people of Rotorua will own this rescue and emergency helicopter to ensure that it cannot be sold again. We need to bring this vital emergency service back to Rotorua. “
Trust Chairman Mark Mortimer said the Rotorua rescue helicopter was “a resource that should never have gone away.”
He said Rotorua was the only place to lose service, and that relying on coverage from places like Hamilton and Taupō put additional pressure on their helicopters.
Mortimer also cited the 2018 Chinese tour bus accident and said five helicopters were used in the incident.
