Riders support rescue helicopter service

Many in the North West community owe much to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service for coming to their aid in life threatening emergencies.

When disaster strikes the helicopter service is ready to respond, 24 hours a day seven days a week, to fly to the scene and quickly transport victims to hospital.

A group of motorcycle riders from Manila recently passed through Narrabri on a four-day, 1276 km road trip to show their appreciation and support the vital, free service and the need to focus on road safety.

Organiser Cindy Sutherland explained that the riders wanted to highlight the role of the Westpac ‘chopper.’

Her family, like many, is deeply grateful that the community is served by the rescue service.

“My daughter Millie was badly injured in a road accident in March 2022,” she said.

The rescue helicopter was there to quickly transport Millie, with life threatening injuries, to John Hunter Hospital for urgent treatment.

“Our group of bike enthusiasts we’re calling ‘Full Throttle’, got together to say ‘thankyou’ to the service, to show our support and undertook this ride,” Cindy said.

The cavalcade of bikes and support vehicles started at Manila and passed through Narrabri, Nyngan and Baltimore on the trip. in Narrabri they were greeted with a big breakfast prepared by the local volunteer members of the Westpac Support Group. The service undertakes more than 1500 missions each year across the North West covering emergency call outs, search and rescue and inter hospital transfers.