Myall River VIEW Club visits Westpac Rescue Helicopter in Newcastle Myall Coast Myall Coast by News Of The Area - Modern Media - November 30, 2023December 1, 2023 Graeme Rowe, Regional Partnerships Officer, Newcastle and volunteers Helen, Robyn, Annette and Rusty. MEMBERS of the Myall River VIEW Club enjoyed a rare opportunity to visit the famous Westpac Helicopter Rescue Service at its Broadmeadow headquarters on Friday, 24 November. The ladies received a guided tour of the hangar and maintenance area from Graeme Rowe, Regional Partnership Officer Newcastle, for the Westpac Helicopter, which began Hunter operations in 1975. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au “There was just one Bell-47 unit, a volunteer crew of lifesavers on summer weekends together, sponsored by the Bank of NSW,” VIEW’s Lois McShane told NOTA. “In those days the mission was to transport the patient as quickly as possible to hospital and the patient may have been strapped between the pontoons of the helicopter.” As decades progressed, more sophisticated aircraft came with NSW Health Doctors and Ambulance Paramedics, and more bases along the coast, covering from the Hawkesbury to the Queensland border. “Each helicopter is staffed by four crew: a pilot, a support person, a doctor and a paramedic who are on a twelve hour roster with a six minute turnaround whenever a mission is required,” according to Mr Rowe. “Each helicopter costs approximately $18million and carries about $2.5million worth of medical equipment which allows the medical staff to stabilise and even operate on patients at an accident site or during the flight. “Each mission is only made possible because of the generosity from the community, as unlike ambulance transfer, transport by the Westpac Rescue helicopter is free.” Westpac has been sponsoring the service for 48 years, however one third of its running costs is funded by community sponsorship, the rest by corporate and NSW Government funding. President Hilary Gall thanked the volunteers for the day, Robyn, Annette, Helen and Rusty as well as Graeme for an enjoyable and interesting visit. “Members left with a greater insight into what was involved each time the rescue helicopter was heard flying overhead,” Hilary said, and she particularly thanked Rusty Seargent from Bulahdelah, who helped facilitate the visit and has over twenty years volunteering for the Westpac Helicopter Rescue Service. By Thomas O’KEEFE Graeme Rowe explaining the interior setup of the helicopter and the extent of the maintenance carried out. Myall River VIEW Club members beside the stripped-down aircraft.
