Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter

Founded in 1992, the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust is the charity responsible for providing an emergency rescue helicopter service to the Taranaki community. For more than 30 years, we’ve been delivering vital, life-saving support across the region.

Every year, our highly trained crew – made up of full-time pilots, intensive care paramedics, and air crew officers – responds to countless emergencies. The state-of-the-art helicopter is equipped with advanced medical technology and rescue equipment, providing a rapid-response medical and search and rescue platform for the Taranaki community and surrounding regions, ensuring help is never far away when it’s needed most.

As mission numbers continue to grow, so too do the demands on our helicopter’s maintenance, equipment, and operating costs. The total cost of maintaining a 24/7, 365-day emergency rescue service runs into millions of dollars each year. While this is partly supported by government funding, the remainder must be raised through sponsorships, donations, and community support.

That’s why the backing of our local community, sponsors, and businesses is so vital to keeping this life-saving service in the air.