Locals keep Gloucester’s medical lifeline flying

GLOUCESTER residents are accustomed to hearing or seeing the Westpac helicopter in the skies above or near the town.

Unfortunately, its presence usually means someone is in urgent need of medical care.

Over the past three years, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service has undertaken more than 65 missions into Gloucester and surrounding areas in response to accidents and other medical emergencies. Most patients are airlifted to John Hunter Hospital or another major trauma centre

Each mission is undertaken by a highly trained, multidisciplinary team of aviation and medical professionals bringing critical care directly to the point of need.

The crew comprises a pilot, aircrew officer, an NSW Ambulance critical care paramedic and a NSW Health doctor and, occasionally, other specialists.

The medical professionals may comprise specialists in emergency pre-hospital and retrieval medicine, intensive care and anaesthetics, and where required, specialist clinicians from services such as the Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service.

The teams are extensively trained to manage critical illness and life-threatening injury in challenging emergency environments.

The service partners with the NSW Government through NSW Health and NSW Ambulance, with funding and support also provided by Westpac and other business partners.

But it also relies heavily on donations from individuals and community volunteers.

Gloucester has a Volunteer Support Group led by president Kevin Arney.

“We moved to the area about 10 years ago and wanted to help our community,” Mr Arney said.

“Westpac helicopter service is a very good thing for Gloucester.”

Gloucester’s support group undertakes fundraising activities throughout the year, including its Trivia Night in March, a Golf Day in June, a Dinner Auction in September, and a Toy Raffle in November.

The next fundraising event will be its annual auction at Club Gloucester on Saturday, 26 September from 6pm, with a wide variety of donated items for sale.

Tickets for the dinner are available from Gloucester Beta and Flooring.

Like many volunteer organisations, the Gloucester Support Group is always on the lookout for new volunteers to help ensure it can continue its valuable contribution to the helicopter service and the community.

“This is a very important service for Gloucester with a lot of motorbikes coming through, and farmers having had accidents with tractors,” Mr Arney added.

“It’s good to know that if someone has a major accident they can be picked up and be in John Hunter Hospital within an hour.”

For more information, contact Mr Arney on 0437 312 346, or via Facebook.

By John WATTS