This International Women’s Day, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter is recognising the vital contributions women make onboard the rescue helicopter, and the wider community. As part of this celebration, Air Crew Officer/Paramedic Zoe offers a glimpse into a day in her life.
Her skills and dedication are central to ensuring life‑saving missions can happen every day, often in the most challenging conditions. As both a Paramedic and Air Crew Officer, she acts as the pilot’s second set of eyes and ears while also supporting the Critical Care Flight Paramedic during missions.
Her day begins with checking the aircraft fuel and oxygen levels, followed by making sure all the medical and rescue equipment is in the aircraft and secured. She then meets with the pilot to discuss weather, flight conditions, aviation notices relevant to the shift, and any aircraft or base duties needing attention.
Whether her shift starts at 7am or 7pm, Zoe prepares early so she’s ready to respond the moment a call comes in.
Each day brings different scenery, different people, and different challenges - something Zoe knows well. The variety within the role offers constant opportunities to use and develop a wide range of skills.
One constant is ongoing training. With no day ever the same, the crew must remain prepared for the unknown. On quieter days without callouts, they will “spend the day undertaking either some medical or crew training and completing inventory checks.”
In 2025, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter completed 519 missions.
Thank you to Zoe and all the exceptional women working onboard the rescue helicopters. Their impact is profound, contributing to life‑saving work that touches hundreds of families each year.
Your Greenlea Rescue Helicopter relies on generous donations to help fund its life-saving missions. Donate to your local rescue helicopter today - https://give.rescue.org.nz/event/greenlea-rescue-helicopter/donate