Funding

Since being set up in 1989, the fundamental role of the Canterbury West Coast Air RescueTrust has been to secure and administer the enormous and constant amount of funding that is required to not only keep a viable Air Rescue service fully operational but to ensure that it meets or exceeds world-class standards of operational performance and safety.

Those standards are constantly being redefined to keep pace with the changing environment and technology which means an increasing demand on training resources and equipment.

The CWC Air Rescue Trust commits approximately $150,000 NZD per annum to the training of rescue and retrieval teams. This equates to approximately $30,000 annually to the training of each individual member of our air rescue and retrieval teams.

On average, it has been estimated that it costs a minimum of $3000 NZD for each individual helicopter mission to be flown.

Our current funding environment means that 40% of Air Rescue operational costs are met by ACC and Hospital payments. That leaves an enormous shortfall of 60% which can only be met by public donations and business sponsorship support.

Through our on-going marketing and communication efforts, the public is becoming increasingly aware of the valuable work of the air rescue service and the generous support received from the public and businesses is gratefully appreciated.

To ensure the on-going viability of providing a consistent, professional and effective service we aim to maintain and build on that positive awareness and support through our education and promotional programme.

More and more businesses and service organisations are also being encouraged to join our “family” of sponsors and benefit from the positive brand association they can achieve within the community.