Ocean Signal PLB1 Enables Helicopter Rescue in Tararua Ranges

What happened?

I was heading into Totara Flats Hut in the Tararua Ranges on a solo trip. The day was shaping up beautifully, clear and bright, though the wind was beginning to pick up as I made my way along the track. Not long after starting out, I was stopped by a trail runner who asked if I was carrying a PLB. When I confirmed that I was, he explained that a woman about two kilometres further up the track had suffered a serious fall and badly broken her leg.

I immediately picked up the pace and headed straight toward her location. When I arrived, I found her on the ground and it was clear from an initial assessment that her leg was badly broken. The injury looked severe, and it was obvious she was not going to be able to walk out. I provided some basic pain relief, helped make her as comfortable as possible, and quickly made the decision to activate my Ocean Signal PLB1.

Once the beacon was activated, I stayed with her, focusing on keeping her warm, calm, and hydrated while we waited for help to arrive. The conditions were manageable, but time felt slow as we waited, knowing how serious the injury was. After about two hours, a rescue helicopter finally arrived. We later learned that the first helicopter had been diverted to a serious car accident, which explained the delay.

The rescue crew safely lifted her out, and it turned out she had broken her leg in two places and badly dislocated her ankle. Without the PLB, it would have been an extremely difficult and potentially dangerous situation to manage in such remote terrain.

This time the rescue was not for me, but for a fellow tramper, and I am incredibly grateful to have been carrying my Ocean Signal PLB1. It made all the difference when it truly mattered.

Words of wisdom

Always carry a PLB. It may not be you who needs it but it could save someone else

Thank you note to the Ocean Signal team

Thanks again ocean signal. It wasn’t me who needed it this time but you saved the day for someone else