The Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust presented its 2024-25 annual report to an Otago Regional Council (ORC) meeting today.

The Annual Report was presented by Stephen Woodhead, Trustee of the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust, and Andew Craig from the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Service.

The Trust has continued to co-fund the critical Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Service, along with the Crown. Trustee Stephen Woodhead said “as well as fully funding new innovations and additional equipment, the Trust provides co-funding of the Crown’s contract with the operator of $800,000 pa (plus $400,000 pa contributed by the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust). Over the past year, a further Instrument Flights Rules (IFR) route was commissioned, marking the essential conclusion of a project that has spanned the past decade.

Mr Woodhead said, “the community can be proud of the IFR infrastructure that enables responses where visibility would have previously precluded flying, saving countless lives already, and available to support for generations to come”. With assistance from generous community donations, the Trust has also funded additional equipment, such as blood chiller packs, an additional webcam to enhance monitoring of weather conditions including for night approaches, as well as five new stretchers and CO2 capnography kits.

Mr Woodhead said, “our community is generous with its donations and bequests, and these gifts really make a difference in ensuring our region maintains a world-class rescue helicopter service”.

Mr Woodhead recorded special thanks to the Otago Regional Council for its ongoing support, as well as to the ILT Foundation for funding provided. He also thanked the Trust’s family of sponsors, notably its cornerstone Platinum Sponsor, Landpower Group Ltd, which owns the CLAAS Harvest Centre network.

“We are grateful to the teams of pilots, paramedics, engineers, and everyone who contributes to bring life-saving care to patients across the lower South Island 24/7, 365 days of the year. That wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our community, and we record our special thanks to the Otago Regional Council for its donation”.

ORC is a major funder of the Trust, donating $350,000 annually.

ORC Chair Gretchen Robertson thanked the Trust, pilots, emergency response staff and ground crews who all play such an important role in saving lives and helping communities and visitors throughout Otago and Southland, on a 24/7 basis.

“This report highlights the critical work the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust does across the entire Southern region, which unquestionably saves many lives, year in and year out.”

“Given the combined Otago and Southland regions are such large and geographically diverse areas, the service contributes a crucial role in helping patients across the region,” she says.

The 1998 patients cared for during the past year [to 30 June 2025] reflects just how valuable the service is for the people of Otago and Southland, Cr Robertson says.

For the same period last year, the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust responded with critical care for 1883 patients across the lower South Island.

To view the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust’s 2025 Annual Report, visit otagorescue.co.nz/about/the-trust