http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=40420

Helicopter rescues mountain-biker in Brooklyn and runner in Belmont

November 20, 2011

Press Release – Life Flight Trust
The Life Flight Trust responded to two sports-related accidents with
the Westpac Rescue Helicopter this morning.

At 1035 the helicopter was called to the mountain bike track near the
wind turbine in Brooklyn. A Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic was
winched to the scene where a 60 year old Johnsonville man was injured
when he came off his mountain bike at speed.

The helicopter landed 400 metres from the injured man and then he was
carried to the helicopter and transferred to the Wellington Hospital
Emergency Department.

He sustained back and face injuries in the accident and is being
treated at hospital.

About 1135 the helicopter flew from the roof of Wellington Hospital to
Belmont Regional Park in Lower Hutt.

The paramedic was winched down to a 31 year old Wellington woman who
injured her knee while running in the park.

“Our pilot had his work cut out for him given the windy conditions in
the area” says Dave Greenberg, Life Flight crewman. “If we were not
able to winch it would have taken hours for ambulance crews to walk to
the patient and then carry her back out so it was good we were able to
accomplish the task”.

The patient and paramedic were winched back into the helicopter and
she was transfererd to the Wellington Hospital Emergency Department
where she was treated and assessed.