Historic day for Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter
In an historic day for the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, the service unveiled the second of its replacement N2 Dauphin helicopters at its Lismore base this morning.
The second-hand helicopter, which was purchased in Malaysia at a cost of $5.5million will replace one of the existing helicopters.
Westpac Life Saver Chairman Warren Tozer said the arrival of the helicopter signaled the final chapter in the service’s 10-year, $11million aircraft replacement program (the first of the replacement Dauphin N2 rescue helicopters was purchased in 2005 at a cost of $5.3 million).
Mr Tozer thanked the northern region community for their support of the rescue helicopter service, which enabled the purchase of the replacement aircraft. Attending today’s launch were a large cross section of the northern region community including sponsors, former patients, paramedics, volunteers, board and staff, together with Surf Life Saving Australia President Ron Rankin AM (who officially launched the new aircraft with 9-year-old former patient Lachlan Cowan - who was airlifted in 2005 - and Mr Tozer). Also in attendance were Lismore Mayor Merv King, Member for Lismore Thomas George MP, Member for Coffs Harbour Andrew Fraser MP and Clarence Valley Mayor Ian Tiley.
“Today marks a milestone for the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, especially coming in this, our 25th anniversary,” said Mr Tozer.
“This is the final instalment of a 10-year business plan which has come to fruition through a great deal of hard work by all concerned, a decade of solid fundraising activities and the ongoing support of our sponsors and the community.”
Mr Tozer said that the acquisition of the second N2 gives the northern region community access to the best possible aero medical rescue service every single day of the year, and ensures the service is ready to proceed immediately should it receive the go-ahead from the Department of Health to establish a base in Coffs Harbour in the future.
The N2 has a longer range, is faster, with a retractable under carriage and is more technically advanced. It will enable the service to reach the scene of an accident faster, cut down the time of hospital transfers, and fly further out to sea for search and rescue missions.
Engineering staff at Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter have worked tirelessly over the last five months to complete the aircraft’s EMS (emergency medical service) ‘fit-out’.
This has included the fitting of a new hoist, a ‘night sun’, lighting & oxygen systems, medical stretchers and cabinets, crew seats, radio, phone and GPS systems and the modification of the aircraft’s instrument panel.
“Without a doubt, it has been a long and at times difficult flight path we have travelled,” said Mr Tozer. “The service commenced operations in Ballina in 1982, and 25 years on has evolved into a 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year operation, notching up over 5300 life-saving missions….all because of the support of the northern region community.
“So it is fitting that, during this historic 25th anniversary year, we are able to give something back to a community who have never stopped giving since 1982. It has indeed been an extremely successful partnership!”