What’s Happening?
Toowoomba’s LifeFlight crews are the busiest in the state, helping a record 891 people in the past financial year.
Why It Matters
The Toowoomba operation, which is home to two rescue helicopters, recorded a 22 per cent increase in people airlifted while the crews conducted 1061 missions during the 12 months.
Their efforts contributed to an overall record of 8177 people helped by LifeFlight in the twelve months to June 30, more than 11 per cent higher than the previous year.
What The People Say
LifeFlight Chief Operating Officer Lee Schofield said the Toowoomba crews demonstrated a high degree of aeromedical excellence during the past financial
year. “The missions run the gamut of emergency care and rescue operations and show how our crews face vastly different situations with fortitude and strength,” he said.
“It demonstrates how crucial LifeFlight’s operations are in helping people who need emergency medical assistance in often remote locations far from major cities and hospitals.
“We couldn’t be prouder of how our critical care doctors, paramedics and aircrew have conducted themselves this past year, often in very trying circumstances.
“They rescue people across regional Queensland, and for that, we owe them a debt of gratitude.”
LifeFlight Medical Director Dr Jeff Hooper said the organisation continued to lead the way in the aeromedical sector with world-leading standards of care. “This is often while our crews deal with extremely challenging conditions, whether that is, stabilising a patient mid-air, winching down a paramedic to the side of a cliff face, or rescuing people stranded in the ocean,” said Dr Hooper.
“Our teams have the specialist emergency medicine skills required to provide the best available treatment to people who are often in remote locations while battling the elements. “