Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter
Encyclopedia
The Otago Rescue Helicopter trust is an emergency helicopter service covering the lower South Island
area of New Zealand
, used for accident and medical air ambulance missions, and search and rescue. , the service operates a MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 B-2 helicopter, with two other BK 117s as backup to the primary rescue helicopter. It is run by a charitable trust formed in 1998, with major sponsor the Otago Regional Council
. Based at Taieri Aerodrome near Mosgiel
, it covers 25 percent of the country's land area. Retrieval missions typically transport patients to Dunedin Public Hospital
, and the service works in cooperation with New Zealand's main ambulance provider, St John New Zealand. Around 400 missions and 600 flying hours are undertaken each year.
for accidents, hospitals for inter-hospital transfers and the New Zealand Police
for search and rescue. The service needs an additional NZ$400,000 - 500,000 annually, since 2008 the Otago Regional Council provides $250,000 per year. From 2002 until April 2008, the Lion Foundation sponsored the service.
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
area of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, used for accident and medical air ambulance missions, and search and rescue. , the service operates a MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 B-2 helicopter, with two other BK 117s as backup to the primary rescue helicopter. It is run by a charitable trust formed in 1998, with major sponsor the Otago Regional Council
Otago Regional Council
Otago Regional Council is the regional council for the Otago region in the South Island of New Zealand. The council's principal office is Regional House on Stafford Street in Dunedin, with smaller offices in Queenstown and Alexandra....
. Based at Taieri Aerodrome near Mosgiel
Mosgiel
Mosgiel is an urban satellite of Dunedin in Otago, New Zealand, fifteen kilometres west of the city's centre. Since the re-organisation of New Zealand local government in 1989 it has been inside the Dunedin City Council area, but was physically separate from the contiguous suburbs until...
, it covers 25 percent of the country's land area. Retrieval missions typically transport patients to Dunedin Public Hospital
Dunedin Public Hospital
Dunedin Hospital is the main public hospital in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is the largest hospital south of Christchurch and serves as the major hospital for the Otago and Southland regions...
, and the service works in cooperation with New Zealand's main ambulance provider, St John New Zealand. Around 400 missions and 600 flying hours are undertaken each year.
Equipment
From 2001 to the present, the service operates a twin-engine BK 117 B-2 helicopter, registration ZK-HUP, call sign Air 1. The helicopter can carry two stretcher patients, cruises at 125 knots (245 km/h), and has a range of 457 km (284 mi) or 909 km (564.8 mi) with optional fuel tanks. The aircraft is fitted with a 76 m (249.3 ft) winch, a 30 million candlepower searchlight, and a neonatal intensive-care incubator. On board the crew has night vision goggles, dual GPS, satellite phone and a range of communications equipment.Notable missions
- 11 May 2003 - The boat Time Out capsizes and sinks 14 km (8.7 mi) off the coast near OamaruOamaruOamaru , the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres south of Timaru and 120 kilometres north of Dunedin, on the Pacific coast, and State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connects it to both...
, putting five men into the approximately 11 °C (51.8 °F) water. The boat owner activated an EPIRB beacon, allowing the helicopter to fly directly to the site using direction-finding equipment. It recovered two survivors suffering hypothermia, and the body of a third man. One of the helicopter crew then radioed a maydayMayday (distress signal)Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications. It derives from the French venez m'aider, meaning "come help me"....
call to shipping for the two other men, who were later presumed drowned. - 25 January 2009 - The Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter together with a Southern Lakes helicopter achieve one of New Zealand's longest-range helicopter rescues, retrieving an injured crewman from the passenger liner MS BremenMS BremenMS Bremen, is a cruise ship operated by Hapag Lloyd since 1993. She was built as Frontier Spirit at the Mitsubishi Shipyard, Kobe in 1990....
about 815 km (506.4 mi) south of InvercargillInvercargillInvercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
. The Otago Daily TimesOtago Daily TimesThe Otago Daily Times is a newspaper published by Allied Press Ltd in Dunedin, New Zealand.-History:Originally styled The Otago Daily Times, the ODT was first published on November 15, 1861. It is New Zealand's oldest surviving daily newspaper - Christchurch's The Press, six months older, was a...
reported the helicopter having a range of about 1000 km (621.4 mi), dependent on conditions.
Funding
The Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust was founded in 1998 to meet the cost of running the service, and funded the construction of the helipad on the roof of Dunedin Public Hospital. Operational funding is on a per call basis depending on the nature of the mission - the Accident Compensation CorporationAccident Compensation Corporation
The Accident Compensation Corporation is a New Zealand Crown entity responsible for administering the Accident Compensation Act 2001. The Act provides support to citizens, residents, and temporary visitors who have suffered personal injuries....
for accidents, hospitals for inter-hospital transfers and the New Zealand Police
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
for search and rescue. The service needs an additional NZ$400,000 - 500,000 annually, since 2008 the Otago Regional Council provides $250,000 per year. From 2002 until April 2008, the Lion Foundation sponsored the service.
See also
- Emergency medical services in New ZealandEmergency medical services in New ZealandEmergency medical services in New Zealand are operated by three organisations. In each case, the service consists of both volunteers and paid staff, and is subsidised by the government of New Zealand through NASO a government department combining the Ministry of Health and the Accident...
- Westpac Rescue Helicopter (New Zealand)Westpac Rescue Helicopter (New Zealand)The Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter is a New Zealand accident and emergency rescue and transport service operated by the Auckland Regional Rescue Helicopter Trust. The Trust operates two BK117-850 D2 helicopters on behalf of the helicopter owners - the greater Auckland community...