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Rapid Relief Team (RRT) has reaffirmed its support for the Northland Westpac Rescue Helicopters, donating more than $40,000 towards new night vision equipment for crews.
The $40,573 donation has funded two new sets of night vision goggles (NVGs), which help pilots and paramedics identify hazards and safely access landing zones during night-time missions.
RRT Whangārei team leader Cameron Whitehouse said the organisation was delighted to support the rescue helicopters and the vital service they provide across Northland.
“Northland Westpac Rescue Helicopter crews are called out in some of the most challenging circumstances, often when people need urgent care the most, so it is vital that they have the right equipment to operate safely and effectively,” Whitehouse said.
Whangārei-based rescue helicopter pilots and paramedics said the new goggles were particularly valuable when responding to unknown landing zones, including paddocks in rural areas.
“When we’re out on a mission and are responding to an unknown landing zone, they give us the ability to watch out for trees, wires and all manner of other hazards that would be much more difficult to see without them.
“This means we can operate more safely and get into landing zones we may otherwise not be able to land in,” they said.
Northland Westpac Rescue Helicopter fundraising and marketing manager Jan Hewitt said Northland crews fly about 1100 missions annually, with around a third taking place at night.
“Our crews have been putting the new NVGs to good use, and the fact is all our night flying is conducted using NVGs. Safety is the number one priority,” Hewitt said.
She said the equipment was also crucial for difficult night-time missions, such as locating boats or light sources offshore from kilometres away.
RRT is the charitable arm of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and supports communities through emergency relief, frontline worker support and assistance for people facing hardship. Established in 2013, it now operates globally with more than 16,500 volunteers.
