Editorial: Open day vital for chopper's funding

WELCOME back, Philips Search and Rescue Trust rescue helicopter.

Though you fly Whanganui, Rangitikei and Ruapehu skies practically every day, it's been five years since you held an open day in this neck of the woods.

Hundreds attended the open day at Whanganui Hospital on Saturday to see the rescue chopper up close.

And the good news is the open days will be held here biennially from now on, alternating with the home base, Palmerston North.

It's an odd predicament but the rescue helicopter relies on donations for more than 50 per cent of its operating costs. While medical transfers are refunded by the health board, every time a tourist is picked up off Mt Ruapehu, someone needs speedy removal from a car accident site or a horse or bike rider takes a spill on a farm, the cost has to be met by donations.

Many of us may have thought this service was government-funded, but it's not.

To fund the local chopper operations, Philips Search and Rescue Trust has to raise $1.7 million each year from donations, sponsorship and the Friends of the Rescue Helicopter programme. And that's where public events such as the open day come in.

About 30 per cent of the rescue helicopter jobs end up at Whanganui Hospital and its patch extends right up to National Park.

Hopefully the open day in the city every two years will see more financial help coming from here.

As it flies off to Ruatiti or Moawhango or Pukeokahu, the service deserves the community to have its back ... as it has ours.