Police Medical transport due to icy conditions

Overnight 15-16/8/08 snow and ice closed State Highway 6 between Franz Josef and Fox Glacier, Westland.

At about 3am on 16/8/08 Ambulance service advised police of a female at the Fox Glacier medical centre who was suffering from a cardiac condition.

Enquiries were made to transport her to Greymouth hospital but due to the weather helicopters couldn't fly and an ambulance couldn't get through because the road was closed.

The patient's condition was monitored with a view to transporting her in the morning but at 0500Hrs her condition worsened.

The Whataroa police constable was contacted and managed to drive through the snow and icy conditions to Fox Glacier in his 4 wheel drive where the patient and a nurse were uplifted.

A slow trip was then made back to Franz Josef where an ambulance was able to complete the trip to Greymouth hospital.

The police officer reported that the roads were very icy and a bus and a number of cars were stuck in Fox Glacier because of the conditions.