27 June 2008
For Immediate Release
Rescue helicopters are a crucial life-line says chairman
The weekend’s boating tragedy in Marlborough reaffirms that rescue helicopters are a crucial life-line for New
Zealanders, says Life Flight chairman Bill Day.
“Life Flight’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter is vital in an emergency like this where speed is critical and access is
challenging.”
“It reminds us of why the Life Flight service was conceived 40 years ago after our founder Peter Button watched the
Wahine disaster and realised how many lives could be saved by an air rescue service,” said Mr Day.
Mr Day was reappointed as chairman of The Life Flight Trust last week. He has been closely involved with the Trust for
more than three decades.
Life Flight’s general manager Kevin Allan says, “Bill was the public relations manager at The Commercial Bank of
Australia (later becoming Westpac) who was directly responsible for initiating the sponsorship of Life Flight’s rescue
helicopter service in 1981, a relationship which still stands today.”
“Now as chairman of Life Flight, Bill has more recently led the Trust through major initiatives including building a
dedicated air rescue centre in Wellington, purchasing its own helicopter and establishing an air ambulance service based
in Wellington and Auckland.”
Last week Deb Battell, director of the Competition Branch at the Commerce Commission, was elected as deputy chair of
Life Flight.
“We are thrilled to have such a wealth of experience on our board to ensure we can continue to provide a world class air
rescue service that is free for all New Zealanders,” said Mr Allan.
Life Flight flies around 1500 missions every year in its Westpac Rescue Helicopter and two air ambulance aeroplanes. The
service has helped over 14,000 people.
ENDS
TRUSTEES OF THE LIFE FLIGHT TRUST
W R (Bill) Day JP Chairperson
Deborah Battell Deputy Chair, Director, Competition Branch Commerce Commission
Peter Adamson Retired Air Vice Marshall, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Murray Gough Company Director
Dr Peter Hicks Medical Director, Intensive Care Service, Capital & Coast Health
Shaan Stevens Chair, Wellington Free Ambulance
Catherine Taylor Chief Executive, Maritime NZ
Trevor Taylor Chief Executive, Outward Bound Company Director
Stephen Ward Senior Partner, Simpson Grierson, Solicitors
Dr Russell Worth OBE Retired Neurosurgeon, Co-founder of The Life Flight Trust
June 2008