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TARANAKI RESCUE HELICOPTER

Operational Crew

The Crew are dedicated to ensuring rescue operations are ready to go if an emergency or accident occurs in the Taranaki region. The Crew spend many hours training to coordinate life-saving missions, sometimes in extreme climate conditions, and are 100% committed to providing a rapid response rescue service.

Pilot Chris

Returning to New Zealand after four years of living in Switzerland, Chris and his wife were looking for somewhere new to live, having always enjoyed visiting New Plymouth they settled on calling Taranaki home. With a lifelong passion for flying and 12 years of experience working as a helicopter pilot for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, joining the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter crew was an obvious choice for Chris.

Pilot Rick

Pilot Craig

I’m from South Africa and began flying in 2002. In South Africa, I worked for the Red Cross as a Helicopter Emergency Medical Services pilot, before I made the move to New Zealand in 2019, where I began flying for SRSL (Search and Rescue Services). I love the challenge of technical flying involved in the rescue jobs, and the ability to use my love for flying to help other people.

Luke

JOINED 2020

A former Medic in the New Zealand Army and senior Crewman in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Luke Miller has joined the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter team as a Crewman. Originally from Hawkes Bay, Luke says being able to save lives is a rewarding career, being able to do so in a tight knit community of Taranaki, is a real privelage. Joined in New Plymouth by his with wife and young family, when not flying in the skies of Taranaki, Luke can be found enjoying the great outdoors that our reigon has to offer, from climbing the mountain to surfing the wakes of Opunake.

Ed

JOINED 2020

Ed has lived and worked almost everywhere in the North Island of New Zealand, but it was Taranaki that Rescue Helicopter Crewman Ed Garvey chose to settle. A former crewman for the Royal New Zealand Airforce, Ed enjoys working directly with civilians in his role. With family nearby in Urenui and Waitara, Ed says the uniqueness of the landscape surrounding the Taranaki reigon was the main part of its appeal. Although most of his spare time is spent wotking on his lifestyle block, when Ed's not on duty, he enjoys a bit of light engineering (building trailers mainly), fishing and pretending to be a farmer.

Tiffany

JOINED 2022

I moved home to the Taranaki region in 2022 after 16 years living in Auckland, where I served for the Royal New Zealand Navy as a Helicopter Loadmaster. I think what I love most is knowing that every minute our crew is airborne, we’re making a difference to someone’s life. I enjoy exploring the Taranaki region by bike and foot with my two daughters and my husband, playing for the local hockey club, wakeboarding and being out and about in the community.

Joe

JOINED 2023

I've been working on the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter as an Air Crew Officer for over 2 years now. Prior to this role I worked 8 seasons around New Zealand and Canada as a Ski Patroller. Alongside this I was also involved in SAR and Alpine Cliff Rescue work. Alongside my Ski Patrol work I have also been studying my degree in Paramedicine, which I'm due to complete midway through 2025. What I love about working for TRHT is the huge variety of work we go to. We can be in Hamilton for an IHT, then be tasked to Mt Taranaki for a winch job, you never quite know what you're going to do that day!

Amanda

JOINED 2022

Amanda, our Critical Care Flight Paramedic has had a lifelong passion for saving lives. This led to her current role in the Taranaki Rescue team. With a background working on ambulances and rapid response vehicles she jumped at the opportunity of becoming a flight paramedic.

Teresa

JOINED 2022

Teresa is a Critical Care Paramedic, with extensive international experience. She has worked in South Africa, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Teresa joined the Taranaki crew in 2022, after choosing to make New Zealand home. Teresa enjoys exploring New Zealand's landscape with her husband, son and two dogs.

Mitch

Joined 2023

I’m originally from the Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia. I worked for NSW Ambulance in Western Sydney as an Intensive Care Paramedic, as well as roles in clinical education and frontline management. I moved to New Zealand for an adventure and have been working as a flight paramedic with TRHT for almost 2 years now. I absolutely love this job, it is an immense privilege to serve the community as a flight paramedic, the role is incredibly rewarding, and the callouts are often exciting. When I’m not saving lives, I’m either out exploring this beautiful country or playing my guitar (poorly).

Mal

Joined 2022

Born and raised in the Manawatu, I began as a paramedic in 2002 before working in Wellington and now the less hectic pace of Taranaki since 2022. What attracted me to this job was the “better work stories” some of the older heads always had, and I’ve enjoyed the challenges and unpredictable nature of pre-hospital care and paramedicine, where no two days are the same. A bit about me – I’m not a fan of fruity craft beer, and when he’s not at work he’ll be scoping the region on his motorbike, kayak fishing, general exploring land and sea and doing what I’m been told.

TARANAKI RESCUE HELICOPTER

Volunteer Crew

Our dedicated team of volunteers are spilt into two groups, marine and alpine, both with equal amounts of dedication, passion and experience to assist the crew on missions. Our volunteers are experts in their fields and train hard, whilst balancing their day jobs.

Nathan Zieltjes

JOINED 2015

Nathan believes strongly in community service and his background in swimming and Surf Life Saving, both patrolling and competing are hugely beneficial in his role in the marine team. Nathan works at the Taranaki Regional Council as a land management officer, is in the Territorial Army and has a young daughter. He enjoys learning new skills and utilising these to help the Taranaki community.

Mike Melody

JOINED 2011

Mike has been heavily involved in Surf Life Saving for fifteen years as a senior lifeguard and member of the NPOB Surf Life Saving Club and Taranaki Surf Life Saving Rescue Squad. These skills and experience as well as his background as a competitive swimmer make him a valuable member of the Marine Team. Mike loves being involved in the community and using his skills to assist wherever he can. Mike is kept busy by his wife and two young children, and enjoys fishing and doing DIY around their home.

Sean Zieltjes

JOINED 2012

2012 Sean joined the marine team to help people and uses skills from his swimming and Surf Life Saving background to contribute to the service the Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter provides. Sean is a senior planner at BTW Company and has a long history with NPOB Surf Life Saving Club as well as the Taranaki Surf Life Saving Rescue Squad.

Mike Johns

JOINED 2011

Mike has been involved with Search and Rescue in Taranaki for nearly 30 years, a majority of this time as part of the alpine rescue team. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors, either as a building contractor or guiding. His partner is also involved with SAR, so knows where he disappears to at times! Having been involved with TRHT for a number of years, he enjoys working with the team and putting his skills to use, helping those in need in often hostile environments.

Jeremy Johnston

JOINED 2015

Jeremy is proudly Taranaki born and bred, and has spent a lot of time on Mt Taranaki climbing different routes in different conditions. He loves working with helicopters, so this combined with his outdoor experience is hugely valuable to the alpine team and enables Jeremy to give back to our community. Jeremy and his wife Sarah love taking their two children into the outdoors to explore, with Jeremy’s favourite hobbies being rock climbing, camping, fishing, water skiing and travelling. Each year Jeremy takes leave from working at Farmlands as a Technical Field Officer for a climbing trip to the South Island, which in December 2015 included climbing Mt Aspiring.

Grant Upson

JOINED 2015

Grant enjoys using his experience and skills to help others in need. With extensive knowledge of Mt Taranaki, he is a member of Taranaki Alpine Cliff Rescue and has spent significant time in both bush and alpine environments. Grant is often spending his spare time weight lifting, climbing, camping and on motorbikes.

Jeremy Beckers

JOINED 2011

Jeremy spends a lot of his spare time off the beaten track in the outdoors, particularly enjoying tramping, climbing and photography. He is a self-employed joiner by trade, and is married with two teenage children. Jeremy volunteers his time with the Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter to help other outdoor people with similar passions to his own.

Vaughan Smith

JOINED 2012

Vaughan spends his spare time out exploring the Taranaki landscape, whether it be road cycling or climbing and tramping on the mountain. His background as a member of the Taranaki Alpine Cliff Rescue team and as a Police Senior Constable based in New Plymouth mean his specialist skills are well utilised as part of the alpine team and he likes putting something back into the community, while doing activities he enjoys.

Peter Lethbridge

JOINED 2011

Peter has spent significant time on Mt Taranaki and works with the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter to give back to the community. He has been involved with the Taranaki Alpine Club since 1986, actively participating in club activities, winter and alpine rescue exercises during this time. Peter is a keen cyclist, enjoys photography, mountaineering and travelling to Nepal.