In the skies above Central the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust (OSRHT) responds to five or six incidents per day, bringing vital help to seriously unwell or injured people.

The trust provides a 24/7 helicopter service for critical medical care and search and rescue in Central, operating from bases in Queenstown and Dunedin. 

Helicopters Otago Ltd deliver the Otago Southland Rescue helicopter service.

Managing director Graeme Gale said they can be going to everything and anything.

“We can be going from hospital transfers one minute to an offshore mission, to a primary car accident, to a medical event. 

“We never know until the pager goes off exactly where we're going. We have nothing as pre-planned and everything is just . . . as soon as the pager goes off. It's usually the first we know about it.”

For hospital transfers its usually intensive care; high level sickness and medical events, and also OSRHT does the neonatal intensive care trips as well.

Invercargill's award winning country singer Suzanne Prentice, together with Graeme are interviewed on this week’s The Outlet podcast.

Suzanne suffered a heart attack in 2022 and was taken to Southland hospital by helicopter. 

“I was very, very thankful that they were there for me. The thing is with any medical event like that, and for the ones where their life is at risk, it could be your wife, your husband, your children, your baby, you just don't know when you're [going to] need them. I can't speak highly enough of the competency and of the machinery and the life-saving equipment that they've got inside the helicopters.”

She has gone on to become a OSRHT trustee and said it is important the Otago and Southland communities realise this is our service.

“They fly some of the longest routes . . . throughout the country or through the country, so and it's a huge area to cover. When you think of Deep Cove or Glenorchy, all over those places, there's an awful lot of rural areas to get to, and they really do have to fly to some pretty dicey areas,” Suzanne said. 

The service is partially funded by the Government, but relies on community donations to support operations to bring vital help to seriously unwell or injured patients. 

Graeme and Suzanne said the community support has enabled the fleet to be equipped with the best technology including IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) routes, which allow pilots to fly preassigned flight paths in conditions where pilots cannot see, and night vision goggles. 

A portion of the recent fundraising efforts from the Alexandra Rotary Club’s (ARC) annual book sale will go toward OSRHT. This is the third year ARC has supported the cause. 

Read more: Marking another successful book sale.

The Alexandra Lions Club four wheel drive safari also raised $5000 for OSRHT. 

Read more: 4WD safari supports Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust.

For more about the service, see their website and recent mission logs here.

Don't forget to listen to The Outlet podcast to hear more.