Our 24/7 emergency service is always on call
to save lives whenever we’re needed. We need to raise
$6 million each year To provide this critical service.
Your support helps ensure that we can continue to
offer this lifesaving service to our community.

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.

Meet some of the Crew

Left to right – Hernan, Peet, Joshua, Tom, Dazza

Mask group@2x

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.

Supporting the west Coast Service

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

  • Instrument Flight Rules
  • Medical Equipment
  • Advanced Training
  • Crew Accommodation (on base)

Our Helicopters

In line with requirements of the new NASO contract, the West Coast community is now served by a twin engine BK117-B2 rescue helicopter.

AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS- BK-117

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 Partners

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.

ROA Mining Rescue logo
Bathurst logo
mask-group-4
westpac logo
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mitre 10 mega logo
Toyota logo

News and stories from our staff, patients, families and investors that make the difference…

Brent on the hillside with Scott and Matt

Our Stories

Find out how your donations continue to support 
Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue.
presenting a cheque

Ways to donate

Discover the ways you can help make a difference.
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If you took part in the Back to Base Challenge this year, you should have received an email from us with a link to our survey. We'd love to hear from you about how you found the whole event and what you'd like us to change. 

If you haven't seen your email, check your spam or message us and we'll get another out to you. 

Don't forget you'll get a gift from @craftywekabar at the end of your survey!
A huge thank you to our friends at @milestoyota who have given us a car service for one of our amazing Back to Base participants. 

Congratulations to Kate A from Christchurch who will find a voucher in her email box later today. 

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