Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 13, 2016 19:57:01 GMT 12
Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter crewman milestone
TASHA LEOV
Last updated 17:56, July 12 2016
Paul "Ernie" Bryant Nelson Marlborough Rescue helicopter crew member celebrates his 3000th flight.
One of New Zealand's most experienced helicopter crewman has celebrated a milestone for the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter.
Chief crewman Paul "Ernie" Bryant has been in the business for about 19 years and said a flight to Picton at 5.03 on Tuesday morning marked his 3000th rescue.
Tuesday also marked the helicopter's 300th flight this year and saw $54,891.06 raised by the Westpac Chopper Appeal.
Bryant said through the years he had experienced many funny and traumatic times but none were more memorable than others.
"I don't have a most memorable mission because there are a lot of missions that are memorable for different reasons. Not everything is gloom and despair we have a few funny ones along the way so I don't have a particular job," he said.
"I didn't go to the job but in Auckland years ago they had a guy who had an arrow in his ear. It hadn't gone right through so it was like a cartoon so while it's really sad and serious, it's quite funny."
He said it wasn't always the most traumatic events that affected you but smaller things.
"You learn to deal with it in your own individual way. It's not always the high end trauma stuff that will trigger you."
After all those flights Bryant said people's carelessness still surprised him.
"There was one guy who had been badly burnt after heavily drinking he had thrown an accelerant on a fire. He had just been completely doused in fire and his way of dealing with it was to go and have a smoke."
The Rescue Helicopter team is celebrating the achievement on Wednesday morning with morning tea for Bryant.
He is on call though so won't be able to celebrate too much.
"I'll have to celebrate with a green tea," he joked.
- Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/82033367/nelson-marlborough-rescue-helicopter-crewman-milestone
TASHA LEOV
Last updated 17:56, July 12 2016
Paul "Ernie" Bryant Nelson Marlborough Rescue helicopter crew member celebrates his 3000th flight.
One of New Zealand's most experienced helicopter crewman has celebrated a milestone for the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter.
Chief crewman Paul "Ernie" Bryant has been in the business for about 19 years and said a flight to Picton at 5.03 on Tuesday morning marked his 3000th rescue.
Tuesday also marked the helicopter's 300th flight this year and saw $54,891.06 raised by the Westpac Chopper Appeal.
Bryant said through the years he had experienced many funny and traumatic times but none were more memorable than others.
"I don't have a most memorable mission because there are a lot of missions that are memorable for different reasons. Not everything is gloom and despair we have a few funny ones along the way so I don't have a particular job," he said.
"I didn't go to the job but in Auckland years ago they had a guy who had an arrow in his ear. It hadn't gone right through so it was like a cartoon so while it's really sad and serious, it's quite funny."
He said it wasn't always the most traumatic events that affected you but smaller things.
"You learn to deal with it in your own individual way. It's not always the high end trauma stuff that will trigger you."
After all those flights Bryant said people's carelessness still surprised him.
"There was one guy who had been badly burnt after heavily drinking he had thrown an accelerant on a fire. He had just been completely doused in fire and his way of dealing with it was to go and have a smoke."
The Rescue Helicopter team is celebrating the achievement on Wednesday morning with morning tea for Bryant.
He is on call though so won't be able to celebrate too much.
"I'll have to celebrate with a green tea," he joked.
- Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/82033367/nelson-marlborough-rescue-helicopter-crewman-milestone
