The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter team has been extremely busy over the month of January, carrying out a total of 44 missions.

These included 19 inter-hospital transfers, 10 medical events, three motor vehicle accidents and 12 were to rural or remote locations.

The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was in multiple locations across the Bay of Plenty, with 10 missions in Tauranga, six in Whakatane and two each in Te Kaha and Waihi.

In the early hours of Sunday morning on New Year's Day, the helicopter was dispatched to Kennedy Bay for a man in his 30s who had fallen from a tree and sustained multiple critical injuries. The patient was flown to Middlemore Hospital for further treatment.

That night, the helicopter was dispatched to Whakatane for a man in his 60s who had fallen off his bike and sustained serious head injuries. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter flew a young boy who was suffering from a cardiac event from Whakatane to Tauranga Hospital. Photo: Supplied.

On Monday afternoon, January 2, it was time to Athenree Gorge for a teenage boy who had sustained serious injuries after being involved in a serious motor vehicle accident. The rescue helicopter flew the patient to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

The following day, Tuesday night, January 3, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Waihi for a woman in her 20s who was experiencing birthing difficulties. She was also flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

A few days later, on Saturday night, January 7, the rescue helicopter transported a teenage girl who had sustained injuries after falling off a water biscuit from Lake Rotoiti to Tauranga Hospital.

A week later, on Saturday January 14, a man in his 50s who had fallen from a motorbike and sustained fracture injuries was flown to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment.

The next morning, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Waitomo for a woman in her 20s who was suffering from serious burn injuries. The patient was flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.

Aerocool Rescue Helicopter. Photo: Supplied.

On Saturday afternoon, January 18, a call to Opoutere resulted in flying a teenage male who had sustained multiple injuries and was in critical condition to Waikato Hospital.

On Sunday night, January 22, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Whakatane Hospital for a young boy who was suffering from a cardiac event. The patient was flown to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment.

A woman in her 30s who was suffering from serious arm injuries on Motiti Island was flown by the rescue helicopter to Tauranga Hospital.

Our region's Aerocool Rescue Helicopter relies on generous donations to help fund these life-saving missions. Donate to your rescue helicopter crew at https://give.rescue.org.nz/