‘This is a milestone’: historic day for Westpac Rescue Helicopter
The Augusta 139s in action over Newcastle. Picture: NSW Ambulance
The Augusta 139s in action over Newcastle. Picture: NSW Ambulance
The Augusta 139s in action over Newcastle. Picture: NSW Ambulance
The Augusta 139s in action over Newcastle. Picture: NSW Ambulance
An air crewman watches the new helicopter take off. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Hunter Retrieval Service medical director Mary Morgan addresses reporters. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard watches the take-off. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard and NSW Ambulance commissioner Dominic Morgan inspect the new fleet. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NSW Ambulance commissioner Dominic Morgan addresses the media. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
State government staffers watching the take-off. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard and NSW Ambulance commissioner Dominic Morgan inspect the new fleet. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard and NSW Ambulance commissioner Dominic Morgan inspect the new fleet. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard and NSW Ambulance commissioner Dominic Morgan inspect the new fleet. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NSW Ambulance commissioner Dominic Morgan addresses the media. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
A man snaps a shot of the new Westpac Helicopter in action. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
NSW Ambulance Northern Region duty operations manager Adam Butt. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Guests watch the media conference. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard adjusts a microphone ahead of a press conference. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
The cockpit of the AW139 helicopter. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Westpac Rescue base at Lake Macquarie Airport at Belmont. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
The new fleet of AW139 aircraft. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
A spectator and smiling volunteer watch the take-off. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Friday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Friday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Friday. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Health Minister Brad Hazzard watches the helicopter in action. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Westpac Rescue aircraft on the helipad. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
IT WAS hailed as a historic day for the region.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter, which has serviced the Hunter for 41 years, wrote a new chapter on Friday with the launch of its Belmont base and new fleet of speedier aircraft.
In a ceremony attended by Health Minister Brad Hazzard, dignitaries were told to expect big things from the helicopter service, with an expanded network capable of servicing communities up to the Queensland border, and new helicopters equipped with the latest technology in emergency aviation.
And the new fleet wasted no time getting down to business.
An Augusta 139 was whisked away on its first primary mission to a motorcycle crash at Abernathy soon after the launch at Lake Macquarie Airport.
The call-out was symbolic of the kind emergencies Minister Hazzard was speaking about when he said the Westpac Rescue Helicopter had shown “exemplary service” to the Hunter, labelling its crewmen and women the “angels of the air”.
“This is a great day for the Hunter and it’s a great day for NSW,” he told reporters.
The launch of the Belmont facility means helicopters will no longer be based at Broadmeadow.
Under a $151 million 10-year state government contract, NSW Ambulance and Westpac Rescue will take charge of a newly formed Northern Region, which is promised to reach patients “no matter where they live”.
Broadmeadow will be retained as the Northern Region’s administrative headquarters and heavy maintenance facility.
Westpac Rescue chief executive Richard Jones said Friday’s launch was historic.
“It’s a real milestone,” Mr Jones said.
“To think that our organisation could cope with something like this is a real tribute to the staff because it’s been a massive project, and there’s still a long way to go.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard and NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan inspect the new fleet. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers
Air crewman Glen Ramplin said the AW139 helicopters were state of the art – more spacious, practical and 80 km/h faster than the previous Bell 412 fleet.
“All in all it’s a beautiful aircraft,” he said. “Our capability has increased greatly. And speed is of the essence in this job.”
NSW Ambulance Northern Region duty operations manager Adam Butt said Friday’s launch was a “long time coming”.
“What we’ve seen today is years in the making,” he said.