The Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter Service undertook another record number of rescues and flew 30% more mission hours than last year.

The Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust performs a vital lifeline to health services in Central Otago, and can be spotted regularly in the skies over the district. 

Dunstan Hospital is a major port-of-call for the helicopter. 

A Dunstan Hospital spokesperson says the service is invaluable to the community and the number of flights proves the reliance on the programme. 

“The Otago Rescue Helicopter provides a critical service to the Central Otago Community,” the spokesperson says. 

“Not only does Dunstan Hospital rely on this for its most unwell patients, but it is also heavily relied on by St Johns, Coastguard NZ and many Lead Maternity Carers for their pregnant women or new-born babies.”

Dunstan Hospital heavily relies on the Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter Service for most vulnerable patients, pregnant women and new-born babies.

The Trust presented its 2020-21 annual report to the Otago Regional Council (ORC) meeting last week. 

ORC is a major funder of the Trust, donating $350,000 annually.

ORC Chair Andrew Noone says the report showed HeliOtago, the rescue service operator, has been called on even more over the past year.

“HeliOtago and the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust do exceptionally valuable work for the people of our communities across Otago and Southland, undertaking 1,703 emergency patient retrievals across the lower South Island, which is a significant 28 percent increase on the previous year. 

They have also continued to upgrade medical equipment and develop GPS routes that enhance their response to patients in need.”

“ORC is very pleased to continue our support of the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust and their important service to the lower South Island. 

“We recognise that this increased effort needs to be funded and it’s great that the trust is also pursuing further funding avenues in the Southland region, where a significant portion of the essential rescue helicopter work takes place.”

Because many life-saving procedures cannot be undertaken outside of Dunedin, HeliOtago and the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust play a vital role in retrieving patients for medical emergencies and transfers, as well as responding to accidents and search and rescue operations.

The Annual Report was presented by Stephen Woodhead, Trustee of the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust, Graeme Gale, Managing Director HeliOtago, and Vivienne Seaton, Secretary Manager of the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust.

Their presentation highlighted some of the challenges that community funding groups had experienced with restrictions on gatherings during the Covid-19 pandemic but recorded appreciation that groups had pivoted their activities and that the settled Covid situation in the first half of 2021 had enabled various fundraising activities to go ahead.

The Trust is presently fundraising to support day to day operations that are not fully Government funded as well as for further new and replacement equipment. 

They noted that ongoing growth in demand for the service needs to be supported by fundraising activities.

Trustee Stephen Woodhead says, “during the year, the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust is grateful to have received generous donations from individuals and community organisations, and this ongoing support is relied on to ensure the continued delivery of this vital service across our vast and geographically challenging area, providing critical care in often desperate situations.”

To view the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust’s 2021 Annual Report, visit http://www.otagorescue.co.nz/the-trust.php.