In the weeks since Cyclone Gabrielle hit Hawke’s Bay, helicopter pilot Joe Faram has seen it all. From terrified families huddled together on rooftops waiting for him to save them, to rural outposts completely cut off from the rest of the region and multi-storey homes buried in silt.
The local legend is responsible for rescuing a huge number of people as raging floods tore through towns on February 14 and since then has been overrun flying vital supplies, assisting with restoring power and communications networks, plus doing welfare checks.
“I’m no more the hero than any of the other local pilots who jumped into action,” says Joe humbly.
“We all flew 10 to 11 hours that day, and together rescued well over 300 people and lots of animals.”
When Joe talks to the Weekly, it’s been 13 non-stop days as he reflects on how it all started.
Waking at his Hastings home on the morning of February 14, where he lives with wife Megs and daughter Tobie, 16, Joe expected to be called out to assist with repairing power lines. That’s standard practise for him after bad weather, but instead the experienced pilot found himself in the middle of an unfolding natural disaster.
“Fire and Emergency NZ asked me to check out some flooding, but when we got airborne, we realised what was happening and it went from a survey flight straight into emergency response,” recalls Rotorforce CEO Joe, 58.
“We were dispatched to Waipawa. It was still raining with low visibility and the river rising. We got there to find a couple on the roof in distress with their 10-week-old baby. The whole house was submerged.”
Joe flew them to safety, then did it over and over again for hours on end, rescuing those trapped in dangerous situations and flying them to higher ground, where police were waiting.
“There was one elderly couple on a roof with their dog and as we approached, the dog jumped into the river. It was swimming for its life and wasn’t going to survive, but we managed to direct an IRB [inflatable rescue boat] below to rescue it,” says Joe.
“When we got to the lady, she was hysterical, crying about losing her home and now her dog. It was quite emotional to tell her the dog was safe. She went from desperate and broken to like she’d just won Lotto.”
Another standout flight was reuniting a mother and her few weeks old baby with the rest of the family back at their farm on day seven.
“I carried the baby sound asleep from the helicopter to the father,” says Joe smiling. “Even the pigs and chooks came out to see. Being involved in those situations does give me a huge sense of pride.”
A big wave from a new mum returned to her family.
He’s been flying for almost 40 years, and says the conditions called for all of his skills and experience.
“There were times I was concentrating extremely hard, hovering about a roof with people climbing in and out, the tail rotor wedged between trees, holding dead still,” says Joe, who’s quick to praise
his peers. “I can’t speak highly enough of my crewman. Just jumping onto a roofline and not slipping into the river is in itself a feat, but he also brought a lot of calmness to people.”
Crewman Nathan Ferguson unloading a woman they’d rescued from a rooftop.
During all of this, much of the region was without power and communications, but somehow the lights stayed on at the hangar.
“We had the Airforce and St John’s arrive, and my hangar became a big hub,” he tells. “My wife Megs and I are delighted it could be put to such positive use.”
Joe’s helicopter tour business flew into full emergency mode.
Megs, 48, who owned and ran a local recycle boutique until late last year, was run off her feet looking after those who arrived in need.
“I’m very fortunate my wife and my daughter Tobie jumped into gear,” says Joe, who’s always admired their compassionate nature. “I came flying in with a load of people, and Megs was flat out recording their names and the places they were rescued from, giving them water and food.”
With Joe still at it “from daylight to dark”, the close-knit family, which also includes son Thomas and daughter Zara, are supporting each other, but haven’t yet had time to properly debrief.
With his proud wife Megs and daughters Tobie (left) and Zara.
Severe bridge and road damage means some rural communities are still cut off from the rest of the region, relying on crucial helicopter support to survive.
“The rural community is really resilient,” Joe shares. “Some of these people have lost everything and they’ll still crack a smile of appreciation – it’s outstanding.”
It’s made Joe all the more grateful as he takes stock of what’s most important.
“It’s human life,” he says. “Floods and slips are devastating, but you can rebuild; life you can’t replace.
“It used to drive me crazy when I got home and the dogs were jumping all over me, but after plucking animals off roofs for people, I am just so happy to see them. It reminds me of the deep embedded love for my animals and my family.”
