Lifesaver 1 Rescue Helicopter

The Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service was established by Surf Life Saving Australia in 1973. The Southern Region of this Service which incorporates a large area from the Central Coast to the Victorian border. This region is one of three regions operating in New South Wales. Combined, the Southern, Hunter and Northern Regions provide a total of nine rescue helicopters. Lifesaver 1, the Sydney based rescue helicopter, operates out of Cape Banks, Botany Bay National Park, Anzac Parade, La Perouse and is an integral part of Surf Life Saving Sydney's rescue support services.

The major sponsor of the service is Westpac Bank, originally the Bank of New South Wales (which started the scheme with a donation of $25 000). From this beginning, the current helicopter, a Kawasaki BK117 B2 model, services the Southern Region by way of search / rescue operations beach surveillance patrols, tracking and locating emergency distress beacons as well as flood, fire and other disaster support operations.

It is plainly obvious how such a service can be of valuable and life saving importance to Surf Life Saving Sydney, as well as other Surf Life Saving Branches, within it's area of operation.

Lifesaver 1 is staffed 24 hours every day, seven days a week at it's La Perouse headquarters. All medical crew members with the Southern Region Life Saver Rescue Helicopters are trained in basic life support (BLS), advance life support (ALS), trauma management and pre-hospital on-scene care. A better team is hard to find when it comes to saving lives!

Sponsorship and Government grants allow this service to remain a 100% Free Community Service, whose only purpose is to save lives. The enormous cost of maintaining such a helicopter rescue service runs into the millions of dollars. Community support and donations for this worthy cause are therefore greatly appreciated, and have no doubt helped save thousands of lives already.