Helicopter Rescue merger boosts services in South East Queensland

Published Tuesday, 02 July, 2013 at 12:32 PM

Minister for Health
The Honourable Lawrence Springborg

Health Minister Lawrence Springborg has congratulated the State’s two largest and longest-serving helicopter rescue services on their merger, announced today in Maroochydore.

Careflight Queensland and the Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue Service (SCHRS) have merged to form a single rescue organisation with bases and aircraft serving an area stretching from the Gold Coast and Tweed north to Agnes Water and extending west to include the Darling Downs.

“Both organisations have a long and proud history built on a tradition of community fundraising and sponsorship,” Mr Springborg said.

“SCHRS is the longest running helicopter rescue service in the state, it performed its first rescue in 1979. Careflight began as the Gold Coast Helicopter Rescue Service two years later.”

Mr Springborg said both community rescue helicopters will be known as RACQ CareFlight with South West, Sunshine Coast, Bundaberg and Gold Coast tag lines. The new parent company will be CareFlight Group Queensland.

“Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue and CareFlight Group Queensland have always worked together,” he said.  

“Each is contracted by the government to look after specific regions of Queensland and this will not change.

“Fundraising and community engagement based on local representation is a key part of the community model, which has proven successful over many years.

“Patients will benefit from the improved capacity and co-ordinated response of the combined organisation and I congratulate the boards of both parent organisations for their strong commitment to the future of rescue services and to the community-based model.”

[ENDS] 2 July 2013

Media contact: Cameron Thompson 0407 585 230