Northland Rescue Helicopter

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Northland Rescue Helicopter

A charitable trust established to provide a dedicated emergency rescue and air ambulance helicopter service for the people of Northland.
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We provide the people of Northland with an excellent, safe, effective and efficient service, and will do so by maintaining its present course – one of providing first class flight crews aboard top class aircraft. We know about Northland’s unsealed roads, our changeable weather and the fact that our people live over a wide-spread area that’s often difficult to access quickly by road. We’re also awa

re of the increased risk of death and serious injury caused when medical treatment is delayed – all of which makes Northland’s Electricity Rescue Helicopter service so essential. We not only provide rescue services at accident scenes, but we also do a lot of inter-hospital patient transfers. We specialise in transporting NICU and PIQU babies and code stemi patients too. The emergency rescue helicopters are crewed on every mission by either one or two members of a full-time team of St John Flight Intensive Care Paramedics (ICPs) who play an integral role in providing the medical care and treatment to all sick and injured patients transported. The Trust is supported by the generous contributions made by local sponsors, individuals, families, businesses and organisations. A Board of Trustees, all of which are Northlanders, governs NEST and oversees its strategic direction and management. We have transported nearly 17,000 people over the past 26 years. Over the last 12 months we have flown 735 missions and transported 800 people to hospitals or medical facilities around the north. On average, our helicopters are in the air twice a day, saving or making a huge difference to the lives of everyone we carry. Most people in Northland have a loved one or someone they care about, that have been flown by NEST.

15/06/2026

Today we celebrate Jacob Papera and thank all involved in his journey to recovery.

It is five years today, July 15, that Jacob was involved in severe motor vehicle crash at Glenbervie and almost died.

His family was called to hospital to say their goodbyes as Jacob was not expected to live.

Thanks to a lifesaving Northern Rescue Helicopter flight to Auckland, combined with the extraordinary efforts and care from all clinicians involved on the day - and in the days, weeks and months afterwards – Jacob survived.

He learned to eat, talk and walk again and now he is raring to go as he prepares to re-enter the workforce – having completed his first-aid certificate today in celebration of his recovery.

Check out his chat with fellow Northern Rescue Helicopter ambassador Mike Lindsay, who also knows the value of a rescue chopper flight!

👉 https://www.nest.org.nz/jacob-papera/

09/06/2026

We were proud to stand beside our fellow first responders, local schools, Bike Northland, road safety and community champions during the 2026 Northland Road Safety Week!

The annual event finished up with the traditional Road Safety Hero run/walk of the Hātea Loop, where respects were paid to the 24 lives lost in Northland road crashes in 2025.

It followed numerous road crash awareness events focused on the need to use seatbelts and child restraints in Dargaville and Whangārei.

Our crews attend dozens of road crashes every year and Critical Care Paramedic Emily Holmes says she has seen more road crashes than she would like.
“Without the Northern Rescue Helicopters, local and remote communities would not be able to receive such timely and appropriate care and be transported to the larger hospitals that are so far away from them,” she says.

07/06/2026

What an incredible result from the team at Craigs Investment Partners Whangārei, whose fifth annual fundraising challenge has delivered outstanding support for Northern Rescue.

The team set out hoping to raise $2,500 while completing a combined daily total of 50km of exercise to raise awareness of the vital work of Northern Rescue Helicopters.

“As Te Tai Tokerau locals, we all know the isolation challenges we face and are deeply grateful for the essential service that the Northern Rescue Helicopter provides where terrain and roads often create difficulty of access in emergency situations,” say the Craig’s Whangārei team.

The challenge exceeded all expectations, raising an outstanding $8,940 while the team averaged 69km per day and completed 2,100km of exercise throughout March.

“Together with Craigs, our contribution will be closer to $15,000 towards Northern Rescue Helicopters and we are beyond grateful to those who chose to support our cause for the fifth year in a row!

“We’re so grateful to our Craigs Community who have helped exceed our fundraising dream.”

Thank you to everyone who donated and helped keep this essential Northland service in the skies. 🚁💙

06/06/2026

A huge thank you to all of our valued sponsors and supporters who joined us recently for a BBQ at the base 🚁🔥

It was a fantastic opportunity to bring together the businesses and individuals whose support helps keep Northern Rescue Helicopters ready to respond when our communities need us most. We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing commitment of our sponsors.

Beyond helping save lives, sponsorship provides unique opportunities to connect with fellow supporters, meet our crew, learn more about our operations, and see firsthand the impact your contribution makes across Northland.

Interested in becoming a Northern Rescue Helicopters sponsor? Join a community of passionate supporters making a real difference while enjoying exclusive sponsor benefits.

Get in touch to learn more about sponsorship opportunities and how your business can help keep us flying ➡ 0800 2 RESCUE / [email protected]

02/06/2026

Aaron Gravatt and the team at PGG Wrightson Ltd have been supporting us for years.

Most recently Aaron turned up with yet another donation.
$1,883 was raised through PGG Wrightson’s Cash for Communities programme.

Aaron says the generosity of Northland farmers is behind the success of the initiative.

Since 2011, Cash for Communities has raised over $970,000 for charities, schools and community organisations throughout New Zealand.

Cash for Communities is a way for farmers, growers and contractors to give back to their local community when purchasing Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser and selected agrichemicals from PGG Wrightson, he says.

Thank you for your continued support!

28/05/2026

What an incredible day at the Mitre 10 MEGA Whangārei Mission at the Marina fundraiser! 🌊🚁🍽

Thanks to the amazing support from our community, sponsors, volunteers, and everyone who attended, helping to raise much needed funds for a great cause! 🙌

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making the event such a success. Your generosity and support mean so much.

Event photos thanks to Photography by Nimmy are now available 📸 (Link in the comments section)

We loved celebrating with you all and look forward to our next fundraising event!

25/05/2026

In the early hours of Sunday morning, Northern Rescue were tasked by RCCNZ to assist three people aboard a disabled vessel approximately 15 nautical miles northwest of Ahipara in the Far North.

Crews encountered extremely challenging offshore conditions, including strong winds and heavy swells, during the rescue operation. With assistance from the Waikato rescue helicopter, all three people were safely winched from the vessel and transported to shore without injury.

The Northern Rescue crew involved were Captain Jon Keller, Co-Pilot Alex Hunt, Critical Care Paramedic and Hoist Operator Paul Davis, and Critical Care Paramedics/Rescue Swimmers Joy Edwards and Ryan Oxborrow.

19/05/2026

Rescue with a canine difference 🐾

We recently undertook a winch rescue off the Hen and Chicken Islands.

DOC worker Miriam Ritchie broke five ribs after falling in steep terrain.

After our crew located Miriam, critical care paramedic Dan Short was winched on to the Island and first attended to Miriam’s rodent detection dog ‘Ahu’.

The little dog was secured in a winch retrieval device called a child/animal rescue bag (CARB), especially designed for children and animals. It quite possibly is Northern Rescue’s first dog retrieval ever!

Miriam says the crew was awesome.

“We’re very lucky to have such an amazing service with such highly skilled people, available to us.”

Thanks to our team, which also comprised of Johs Van Pierce (captain), Marinus Coetzee (co-pilot) and Richard Sharp (hoist operator and critical care paramedic).

06/05/2026

Mitre 10 MEGA Whangārei Mission at the Marina – a roaring success!

Another shout out to all our amazing sponsors

We are stoked to announce that over $67k was raised at our inaugural Mitre 10 MEGA Whangārei Mission at the Marina – our major fundraising event for the year held at Tutukaka over the weekend.

The success of the event was thanks to the generosity of our dozens of fiercely loyal sponsors, supporters and locals who dug deep for the auction items.

It was an amazing afternoon thanks to superb food, a great vibe and an incredibly important community cause.
Watch this space for May 2027!

01/05/2026

🚁 ON THE GROUND IN TUTUKAKA 🚁

The Northern Rescue Helicopter will be on the Village Green from 4:15pm today.
If you’ve ever seen it overhead, this is your chance to come and see it up close, meet the crew, and get a real sense of the life-saving work it does across Northland.

Bring the kids, bring your questions, and come down for a look.

Address

88 Robert Street
Whangarei
0110

Telephone

+648002737283

Website

http://nest.org.nz/

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