LandSAR Wanaka volunteers have responded to 36 calls for help since July 1 last year, slightly more than the previous year.
The operations included three fatalities: a climbing death on Mt Aspiring's Southwest Ridge and two local pilots in last month's Robinson 22 helicopter crash at the head of the Arawhata River.
Three significant night operations were carried out, two involving technical winch rescue, and the Robinson 22 crash, which required protracted night flying in the Matukituki and Arawhata River areas.
LandSAR Wanaka police co-ordinator Sgt Aaron Nicholson said the three incidents were the first time the group's specialised night training had been used operationally, and the experience gained meant the group had "stepped up the ante" in terms of its response capabilities.
"These night operations signal a trend and move forward in the night work and consequently an increase in our training and skill set, so we can maintain safe operating practices while carrying out this high-risk work," Sgt Nicholson said.
Wanaka's operations in the past year were: Alpine 13, marine 5, and bush 18. Six operations were beacon activations.
A large amount of sub-alpine work revolved around broken lower limbs.
The Robinson crash and two missing French people in the Harris Mountain area involved significant search planning action, which needed to be well practised to be done effectively, Sgt Nicholson said in his annual report to Wanaka LandSAR this week.
There were 30 LandSAR Wanaka responses during the 2009-10 year.
The trend has been for between 26 and 36 responses a year since 2004-05.
LandSAR Wanaka chairman, Roy Bailey, said the real test of any group or business was in its end product and during the past year LandSAR Wanaka had produced a product of "outstanding quality".
