The West Coast Westpac Rescue Helicopter is on call 24/7, serviced by a state-of-the-art H145 helicopter. Crews consist of a Critical Care Paramedic, a Paramedic / Winch Operator, and a pilot. The Critical Care Paramedics on the West Coast rescue helicopter are the only Critical Care Paramedics Coast-wide.
Often, West Coast crews deal with the most challenging of conditions. Average mission lengths are longer due to the vast distances. Medical events and accidents make up 59% of missions; search and rescue jobs 10%.
We are delighted to welcome Westpac NZ as our associate sponsor of the West Coast rescue helicopter; this new level of support underpins the service on the West Coast.
But we can’t do this alone – we need your support. And we promise, if you give to the West Coast, it stays on the West Coast.
Our most sincere thank you to ROA Mining for their significant support of the service over 13 years. Their generous commitment ensured that the West Coast community had access to this vital emergency response capability.
ROA Mining will continue to support its community through sponsorship of the New Zealand Flying Doctor Service. This sister service to the rescue helicopters is a regular visitor to the West Coast, transporting patients between hospitals to the higher acuity care they need.
Left to right โ Hernan, Peet, Joshua, Tom, Dazza
As well as fundraising to support West Coast missions we are supporting a number of exciting projects to improve patient care and ultimately save more lives.
The new Airbus H145 rescue helicopter we purchased for the West Coast has enabled the roll-out of Instrument Flight Rules. This upgrade allows the crew to fly in lower cloud conditions โ a real game changer for the West Coast. This has been accompanied by our investment in specialist equipment and advanced crew training, so that when the call comes, the crew are mission-ready.
Our Mission Support programme enables you to support a complete mission. Or perhaps being part of our regular giving programme is a better fit for you.
1 mission- $5,000
2 missions – $10,000
4 missions – $20,000.
Or give a monthly gift
If you have a special project you would like to support, such as for training or medical equipment, please get in touch.
Or, if you would like to leave a life-saving legacy to your rescue helicopter service, find out more about how you can leave a gift in your will.
The West Coast community is currently served by a twin engine H145.
| MAKE/MODEL | Airbus H145 |
| ENGINE | 2x turbomeca arriel 2E turboshaft |
| SHAFT HORSEPOWER | 1072 HP each engine (one engine inoperative) |
| CREW | 1 pilot, 1 critical care paramedic, 1 paramedic / winch operator |
| MAX SPEED | 278kph |
| CRUISE SPEED | 238kph |
| RANGE | 651 kilometres |
| SERVICE | 1 HELICOPTER AND CREW ON CALL 24/7 |
| MISSIONS | 300+ AVERAGE PER YEAR JUST ON THE WEST COAST |
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.
Brian Barnett was floating in the ocean beside his broken jet ski and his mate. Every possible scenario was running through his mind.
Would someone find them? Could they swim to safety? What happened if his friend passed out?
Then he heard the sound of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
"๐ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐น๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ."
Brianโs rescue is a powerful example of the crewโs training, skill, and readiness in action.
Read his story at the Patient Stories link in bio.
When every minute matters, strong partnerships can save lives - and our partnership with Stockton Mine and its operator Bathurst Resources is going from strength to strength.
Recently, West Coast Critical Care Paramedic Rod joined Stockton`s Emergency Response Team for some hands-on training. As well as demonstrating rescue equipment, Rod spoke about helicopter procedures and considerations for operating in Stockton`s remote environment.
Rod says the opportunity to engage directly with Stockton`s team was fantastic and has already resulted in improved communication processes between the mine`s team on the ground and crew in the air.
โ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐น๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐, ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฒ๐
๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐."
An enormous thank you to the Stockton team for welcoming Rod and to Bathurst Resources, a major supporter of the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust. Your commitment to the rescue helicopters helps us ensure life-saving care is available when and where it`s needed most.
Read more about Rod`s training with the Stockton team here at the Latest News link in bio.
For Wayne, no two rescue missions are the same. As a paramedic and winch operator on the Canterbury Westpac Rescue Helicopter, he balances patient care, pilot support, and a constant watch on the world below.
"๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐โ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฒ๐
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐, ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต, ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ."
We chat to Wayne about the changes and challenges during his 18 years on the rescue helicopter, his technical role, and his advice for anyone eyeing up a rescue chopper job.
Read more. See the Crew Stories link in our Linktree.
An enormous thank you to Coastguard West Coast and their incredible volunteers for helping make this vital rescue training possible.
Recently, Westpac Rescue Helicopter crews completed a major over-water training exercise at Lake Brunner, practising complex water and vessel rescues. From providing boats and rescue jet skis to volunteering their time as mock patients, Coastguard West Coast played a crucial role in bringing these realistic scenarios to life.
Without the support of organisations and volunteers like these, training opportunities like this simply wouldn`t be possible.
Watch the video and learn more about this important partnership at the Latest News link in bio.
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