The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter responds to life and death situations with the speed and agility that can make all the difference, with patients able to receive urgent medical treatment whilst en route to a medical facility.
Providing a fully-fledged air emergency medical service with the employment of our own full-time experienced Critical Care Flight Paramedic (CCFP), Crewman and Pilots. Our crews offer a diverse range of attributes and experience to our operation. Each member of the team brings a specialist skillset, enhancing the safety and efficiency of rescue missions.
The team's expertise means your rescue helicopter can attend search and rescue missions, operations involving a winch, night operations, time-critical inter-hospital transfers, and provide assistance to NZ Fire, Land Search and Rescue and the Armed Offender Squad.
Team
Vanessa Richmond
Group Manager
Leads Philips Search & Rescue Trust and oversees the Fundraising, Marketing, Administration & Finance teams
Kirstin Tye
Project Manager
Leads all relevant PSRT business projects, while providing support to the wider team
Angela Cranfield
Finance and Administration Manager
Oversees and supports all things related to Administration and Finance
Jenny Barris
Finance Processor
Processes donations that are made across all bases
Laura Healion
Office Support & Customer Service Specialist
Provides administration support within the Finance and Administration Team and Customer/Donor support
Whitney Smith
Fundraising Manager
Oversees all areas of fundraising, including setting the fundraising strategy & implementing initiatives
Catherine Cook
Community Fundraising Coordinator
Supports community fundraisers, helping them raise funds for their rescue helicopters and looks after our tele-fundraising program.
Ayshea Abela
Corporate Relationship Coordinator
Looks after our corporate supporters & our regular donor program, helping these amazing donors support their rescue helicopters
Keryn Peddle
Donor Care Coordinator
First point of contact for our generous donors, and provides support with whatever they need
Tyra Coffin
Fundraising Administration Support/Intern
Provides support to the Fundraising Team
Sharni Weir
Sponsorship & Marketing Manager
Leads on all areas of Sponsorship & Marketing. Oversees the marketing & communication strategies to support fundraising initiatives
Tash McGowan
Sponsorship & Marketing Coordinator
Looks after our family of sponsors, and coordinating collaborative ways to work together
Bridget Ross
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Manages social media platforms, creating engaging content and communicating with our supporters via campaigns & media
Vicky Marland
Digital Marketing Coordinator
Looks after our Website, SEO, Google, and implements our online strategy
Gillian Crompton
Patient Coordinator
Looks after our community of patients and families, sharing stories with our family of supporters
Helicopters
Specifications & Equipment
The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter is a Kawasaki BK117. This single-pilot twin-engine helicopter has commonly been used as a rescue helicopter due to its speed, reliability and ability to fly close to cliff faces which makes it the best aircraft for all types of missions.
Crew
Your Pilots
With proven experience in a diverse range of flying conditions, and logging thousands of flight hours, a rescue helicopter Pilot is trusted with the safety of all on board.
Sam - Pilot and Base Manager
Dan - Pilot
Frenchy - Pilot
Kane - Pilot
Loren - Pilot
Paul - Pilot
Your Crewmen
As the extra eyes and ears for the Pilot and the Critical Care Flight Paramedic during a mission, safety on board and around the aircraft is their priority including winch operation, navigation, obstacle identification and safe landing during flights.
Dave - Crewman
David - Crewman
Mo - Crewman
Steve - Crewman
Your Critical Care Flight Paramedic
A critical care flight paramedic is trained to perform advanced medical intervention and life-saving procedures within a rescue helicopter environment.
Diane - Critical Care Flight Paramedic
Rick - Critical Care Flight Paramedic
Simon - Critical Care Flight Paramedic
Your Operations Team
Muir - Medical Director
Barry - Pilot Training Manager
Charlie - Chief Pilot
Chris - Chief Operating Officer
Graeme - Clinical Operations Manager
Hugo - Clinical Development Manager
History of the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter
The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was founded in 1987 and has undertaken over 14,578 missions since its inception. When incepted, the service was 2 pilots equipped with a single-engine squirrel helicopter, only capable of flying during daylight hours, and a tennis court substituting as a landing pad.
With more volunteers and local funding supporting the service, the Squirrel was replaced with a Bell 222 Helicopter in 1995. With IFR capability, the pilots were now able to navigate night missions and conditions with limited visibility.
A winch-capable, single-pilot IFR BK-117 was fitted out to be used as a new rescue helicopter and was in use by 2013. By 2019, a second BK-117 was fitted out with avionics and is now in use alongside the first to meet the growing demand for the service and ensure that rescues could be carried out right across the Waikato.
Philips Search & Rescue Trust (PSRT) is the charity responsible for fundraising and promotion of the North Island’s largest pool of community rescue helicopters, including the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Encompassing a fleet of rescue helicopters and fixed-wing planes, the service provides air health and rescue services free of charge to the public on a no-fault basis.
With more volunteers and local funding supporting the service, the Squirrel was replaced with a Bell 222 Helicopter in 1995. With IFR capability, the pilots were now able to navigate night missions and conditions with limited visibility.
A winch-capable, single-pilot IFR BK-117 was fitted out to be used as a new rescue helicopter and was in use by 2013. By 2019, a second BK-117 was fitted out with avionics and is now in use alongside the first to meet the growing demand for the service and ensure that rescues could be carried out right across the Waikato.
Philips Search & Rescue Trust (PSRT) is the charity responsible for fundraising and promotion of the North Island’s largest pool of community rescue helicopters, including the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Encompassing a fleet of rescue helicopters and fixed-wing planes, the service provides air health and rescue services free of charge to the public on a no-fault basis.
