Saving Lives
Philips Search and Rescue Trust is the charity responsible for New Zealand’s largest pool of community helicopters. Encompassing six rescue helicopters and two fixed-wing planes, the rapid response service provides air health search and rescue services free of charge to the public on a no-fault basis.
Available through the emergency 111 call system, our rapid response rescue helicopters bring life-saving equipment, rescue personnel and trauma-trained medics directly to the patient.
Engaged when time is critical or accessibility is compromised, our search and rescue helicopters serve the Waikato – King Country, Bay of Plenty, Central Plateau and Manawatu – Whanganui communities. Providing timely assistance can reduce disability and improve survival – the sooner resuscitation and treatment begins the greater chance of patient recovery.
Powered by an experienced professional crew of pilots, paramedics, flight nurses and volunteer crewmen, in a life and death situation it is this speed and agility that can make all the difference, with patients able to receive urgent medical treatment while en route to a medical facility.
Westpac Air Ambulance
Philips Search and Rescue Trust also own and operate New Zealand’s Westpac Air Ambulance. Nationally recognised, the Westpac Air Ambulance is an accredited provider of Level 1 and 2 aero-medical transport services. Flying bedside-to-bedside, the highly experienced medical crew can accommodate one or two stretcher patients, non-stop, to any location in New Zealand.
Our rescue helicopters are available for
- Motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents
- Forestry and farming accidents
- Hunting, tramping and recreational accidents
- Search and rescue operations – lost in bushland, mountains and at sea
- Inter-hospital transfers for specialist care
Philips Search and Rescue Trust was founded in 1985 after an endowment by Philips New Zealand Limited to mark a light aircraft accident near Turangi in which two of the Philips personnel lost their lives.
Since its inception, the search and rescue service has grown from a part-time base in Taupo to 24/7 availability in the Waikato – King Country, Bay of Plenty, Central Plateau and Manawatu – Whanganui communities.
Philips Search and Rescue Trust aims to provide the highest standard of air ambulance, search and rescue services. We believe that through enduring relationships with the communities in which we operate, together we can save lives.
Waikato Westpac
Rescue Helicopter
Hamilton
Grant Bremner
Base Manager/Chief Pilot
Loren Haisley
Pilot
Dan Harcourt
Pilot
Bill McNeilly
Crewman/Crew Trainer
Simon Burrows
Crewman
Trustpower TECT
Rescue Helicopter
Tauranga
Liam Brettkelly
Base Manager/Pilot
Todd Dunham
Pilot
BayTrust
Rescue Helicopter
Rotorua
Barry Vincent
Base Manager/Chief Pilot
Ben Fry
Pilot
Greenlea
Rescue Helicopter
Taupo
Nat Every
Base Manager/Pilot
Palmerston North
Rescue Helicopter
Palmerston North
Chris Moody
Base Manager/Pilot
Lance Burns
Pilot
Kevin Dalzell
Crewman
Graeme Spiers
Crewman
Errol Millar
Executive Chairman
Terry Burcher
Trustee
Patricia Bayley
Trustee
Stewart Davies
Trustee
David Wickham
Secretary
Vanessa Richmond
Communications & Marketing Manager
Patricia Parsons
Community Liaison
We Need You
Collectively, funds generated through the community and sponsorship cover half of the annual expenses required to operate our rescue helicopters in each region; without this extremely generous contribution our life-saving service would not exist.
There are a variety of ways to support our critical search and rescue service, to learn about your options, check out our get involved page
