Life Flight, or Life Flight Trust, is a charitable trust providing an emergency air ambulance service that operates out of Wellington, New Zealand. Their services include the Wellington based BK117 Westpac Rescue Helicopter, as well as a nation wide J32 Jetstream air ambulance plane that transports patients who are critically ill and in need of hospital transfer for specialist care. The majority of patients are from the central or lower North Island, or the upper South Island of New Zealand.
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Westpac Rescue Helicopter
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter is a BK117 emergency air rescue service which operates out of Wellington Hospital. It is used primarily for search and rescue but may also be used for police and bomb squad operations, or in firefighting. The helicopter often rescues car accident victims, injured trampers stranded in the bush, or performs rescues in other areas which are a considerable distance from any nearby hospital.
Each rescue costs $2500 NZD, which is provided through donations from individuals and companies across New Zealand.
Air ambulance
Life Flight's J32 Jetstream air ambulance replaced their older Metroliner plane in 2012, and carries patients between hospitals around New Zealand to receive specialist medical care. The service flies an average of four emergency trips to hospitals around New Zealand per day. The plane has custom paintwork designed by Weta Workshop.
Pilot Ian Pirie commented that flying patients by air presents unique challenges, such as ensuring soft landings for patients with spinal injuries, or flying very low with patients with brain or diving injuries. He commented that calls involving premature babies were often the most rewarding, as he was often able to see how much they had grown when later flying them home after weeks in hospital incubators. The plane is even equipped to deliver babies onboard, if necessary.
Charity fundraising
As Life Flight Trust is a charitable trust, it receives all of its funding through donations. Community fundraisers to raise funds for the service are often organised by individuals or groups such as Westpac bank, or other local clubs and organisations.
Other fundraising events are often put on by Life Flight itself and funds are also raised by word of mouth, online donations, and telemarketing. Due to the service's high profile among New Zealand's rescue services, other lower profile services such as the Taranaki Air Ambulance and the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust have been confused for the service, and sometimes miss out on donations as a result.
TV show
Life Flight was the subject of a reality TV documentary show in 2013 that ran for 10 episodes. A second season ran in 2016, also running for 10 episodes.