Chopper service trying get patients together

02.08.2010

WESTPAC Life Saver Rescue
Helicopter has issued a strange
request - it wants more helicopter
patients.
But the service isn't asking
people to take risks on the roads
or less care in the workplace; nor
is it asking people to fall ill.
Instead, the rescue helicopter
is searching for people who have
needed airlifting by the service
after suffering an accident or
illness anytime during the service's
28-year history.
The rescue helicopter has
embarked on the search for
people it has rescued because it
is holding past-patient 'get-togethers'
during August.
There will be three separate
get-togethers during Helicopter
Awareness Week: the first will be
held in Lismore on August 19;
then one in Grafton on August
20; and another in Coffs Harbour,
also on August 20.
The rescue helicopter's media
and marketing officer Graham
Orams said with more than 6000
missions undertaken by the
rescue helicopter there are a lot
of past patients the service wanted
to make contact with.
"Since 1982, Westpac Life
Saver has carried-out more than
6200 missions throughout its
60,000 square-kilometre flight
area," Mr Orams said.
"Occasionally, past patients
will come in to say hello or to
make a donation but only a small
fraction of the patients we've
carried ever make contact with
us.
"The get-togethers will be an
opportunity for past patients to
share their stories and meet
others who have also needed the
rescue helicopter."
The rescue helicopter's flight
area extends from the Queensland
border down to Nambucca
Heads/Macksville, and out west
to the New England area.
Anyone airlifted by Westpac
Life Saver Rescue Helicopter
who would like to take part in
one of the August get-togethers
is asked to contact the rescue
helicopter's Lismore office on
6627 4444 or the Coffs Harbour
office on 6650 9893.