Westpac Helicopter appeal

Appeal Recognises Service’s Unsung Heroes

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is launching its annual End of Financial Year Appeal, taking the opportunity to acknowledge the ‘unsung heroes’ behind the scenes who are helping to save local lives.

“The community knows our aircraft by sight, and they know the crucial roles played by our Pilots and Aircrew Officers and have the greatest admiration for the life saving abilities of the Helicopter Critical Care Medical Teams,” Westpac Rescue Helicopter CEO Richard Jones OAM said.

‘What they are not so aware of, is the vital role played by our Engineering Teams at our heavy maintenance facility at Broadmeadow and at each of our three Bases at Tamworth, Belmont and Lismore,’ Jones continued.

 ‘Our ability to service communities 24/7 across Northern NSW is only achieved through the ongoing maintenance and technical ability of our Engineering Teams keeping our aircraft on standby and ready to respond to those in need,’ Jones said.

 This year, the Service’s Engineering Teams at its Broadmeadow Heavy Maintenance Facility, face the intricate exercise of completing major four yearly maintenance inspections on each of the Service’s four multimillion-dollar aircraft.

‘The Team essentially strip each aircraft back to a shell and then rebuild it, with any necessary replacement parts and components sourced from the aircraft manufacturers in Italy or from suppliers here in Australia,’ Jones said.  ‘It’s a complex, time consuming and highly involved process that takes several weeks and is meticulously planned to ensure we can have our aircraft back in service as soon as possible,’ Jones continued.

“It’s a significant cost to conduct these inspections, so on behalf of our Engineering Team, I’d like to thank the community for their continued support and say a special thank you in advance to those who are able to help us once again during this Appeal, as it’s not just a donation, it’s helping us to save local lives,” Jones concluded.

About the Service:

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service was established in 1975 and through community support and fundraising it has become a critical service that operates four AW139 helicopters from three bases in Belmont, Tamworth and Lismore. The Service, in partnership with NSW Ambulance and NSW Health, delivers aeromedical search, rescue and inter-hospital transfers to care for communities from north of the Hawkesbury River through to the Queensland border and throughout the New England North West.

Along with the Pilot and Aircrew Officer, every prehospital emergency response mission launches with a dedicated NSW Ambulance Critical Care Paramedic, NSW Health Doctor and depending on the needs of each patient the team may include specialist nursing professionals.

Westpac Bank, the Community, Business Partners and the NSW Government through NSW Ambulance and NSW Health, provide the funds to ensure the Westpac Rescue Helicopter continues to save lives across Northern NSW.