The crew on the West Coast are often dealing with the most challenging of conditions and an average mission length is longer due to the vast distances. We are blessed to have ROA Mining as our naming rights sponsor; this support underpins the service on the West Coast. The Critical Care Paramedics on the coast are the highest qualified medical resource available for the community. In areas like the West Coast, when there is an emergency, the ROA Mining Rescue Helicopter is the only option and can be the difference between life and death.
Completing over 300 missions last year, the mission numbers are building steadily. The service also gets involved with transporting patients between hospitals and through civil defense, with deployment and rescues during crisis times, most recently with the Westport (and environs) flooding.
Left to right – Hernan, Peet, Joshua, Tom, Dazza
As well as fundraising to support missions on the West Coast we are working on a number of exciting projects to improve patient care and save more lives. Longer-term, the aim is to replace the existing BK-117 with a more modern aircraft with more advanced avionics. This will facilitate Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) which allows us to fly in lower cloud conditions, enabling the ROA Mining Rescue Helicopter to respond in more compromised weather conditions – a real game changer for the West Coast. We are also looking at equipment upgrades and supplementary training so the crew are fully prepared for all missions.
Mission support
Can you contribute to the cost of a mission or fund a lifesaving mission?
You can support a complete mission
1 mission- $5,000
2 missions – $10,000
4 missions – $20,000.
Or give a monthly gift – $20, $3o, $50, or your choice
Special Projects Development Fund
In line with requirements of the new NASO contract, the West Coast community is now served by a twin engine BK117-B2 rescue helicopter.
| MAKE/MODEL | BK-117 – B2 |
| ENGINE | Twin Allied Signal, LTS101-850B2 |
| SHAFT HORSEPOWER | 850 HP each engine |
| CREW | 1 pilot, 2 paramedics |
| MAX SPEED | 150 knots / 280kph |
| CRUISE SPEED | 120 knots / 222kph |
| RANGE | 540 kilometres |
| SERVICE | 1 HELICOPTER AND CREW ON CALL 24/7 |
| MISSIONS | 300+ AVERAGE PER YEAR |
Our community and corporate sponsors are greatly valued. Without their support our service would not be able to operate. The Canterbury West Coast Rescue Helicopter Trust gratefully acknowledges the following companies whose generous support contributes to the efficient operation of a viable FREE Rescue Helicopter Service in our region.
A huge thank you to everyone involved in the Pleasant Point Golf Tournament last weekend. A beautiful day of community support that raised much-needed funds for the service.
We`d like to extend special thanks to the following individuals and companies who helped to make the day a success.
Dale and Rosemary Walden, Nolan Painting and Decorating, @pleasantpointgolf , @golfstoptimaru, The Lookout Peel Forest BnB, @toddmudiegroup, @barkersofgeraldine, Four Square Pleasant Point, @heartlandchips, @hsgolfcoach, @moviemaxdigital, @ping.golf, @golfstoptimaru, Tievoli Trading, @titleist_anz, Forsyth Barr Timaru, The Garden Centre Timaru
For our rural communities, the rescue helicopter is a critical link to lifesaving care.
Mid-Canterbury crop farmer Hamish Sloper knows that.
That`s why Hamish and the team from Pendarves Young Farmers are donating the proceeds from their upcoming Speed Shear event to the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust.
Thank you for your incredible generosity and support.
Keen to find out more about the Speed Shear? Check out the event here: https://facebook.com/events/s/pendarves-speed-shear/701541328932577/
@pendarvesyoungfarmers1
@nzyoungfarmers
This is the impact of the Canterbury West Coast rescue helicopter service. It`s an impact only possible because of the support of our community.
Behind each mission is a person and a story.
Read some of those stories here: https://www.airrescue.co.nz/our-stories/patient-stories/
It`s a big piece of equipment for our tiniest patients - and it`s going to be lifesaving.
We`re celebrating our incredible community whose support has allowed the New Zealand Flying Doctor Trust to purchase two NXTGen transport incubators.
Neonatal paediatrician Dr Ruth Sinclair says moving the sickest and smallest babies around the country is as challenging as medicine can get.
“𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.”
Read more here: https://www.airrescue.co.nz/stories/supporting-our-regions-most-fragile-patients/
@newzealandflyingdoctors
