Westpac Rescue Helicopter - Canterbury/West Coast

In trauma cases such as road accidents and medical emergencies, getting emergency care or treatment to a patient at the scene within 60 minutes of an accident or incident increases the patients chance of making a full recovery by over 80% - this is referred to as “the golden hour”.

In remote and isolated areas the rescue helicopters provide a critical lifeline.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopters across Canterbury and the West Coast watch over the lives of more than 720,000 people. We have been operating for over 30 years and have saved thousands of lives in our community. On average, 3 people will place their lives in the hands of the Air Rescue crew each day.

The community are our main supporters, and see the inherent value of contributing to saving lives and doing their part to help the community.

The Air Rescue Trust need to raise $6 million a year to provide this life-saving service; today and for future generations. This represents a contribution of $5,000 towards each mission (based on 2019 mission numbers). Donations support the operational cost of the service, training costs and medical equipment.

Now more than ever, together we can make a difference and save lives! The Westpac Rescue Helicopters are our community’s safety net. Your donation ensures that the event of an accident or medical emergency, help from above is always close by for all of us.