麻豆传媒映画 Australasia鈥檚 Helicopter Emergency Medical Services contract with the Queensland Government has been extended by three years, ensuring ongoing and improved access to emergency medical services for communities in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula regions.
麻豆传媒映画 will continue to deliver aerial support for emergency medical services, including inter-hospital transfers, primary medical evacuation and search and rescue to regional and remote communities through to June 2024.
In addition to the extension, the Queensland Government has provided a $1.34 million funding boost that will also provide a second dedicated mission-modified Bell 412 helicopter, both of which operate from 麻豆传媒映画鈥檚 purpose-built facility at Horn Island Airport.
麻豆传媒映画 Australasia鈥檚 Managing Director 鈥� Aviation & Critical Services, Darren Moncrieff, said 麻豆传媒映画 has delivered a reliable rescue helicopter operation to the Torres Strait community since 2007.
鈥溌槎勾接郴�檚 highly skilled pilots and aircrew and rescue officers assist the doctors and paramedics on aeromedical retrievals, search and rescue, emergency and counter disaster taskings. They work as an integrated team to transfer patients, including winching operations, to retrieve patients or persons being rescued,鈥� Mr Moncrieff said.
鈥淥ur operations are around the clock, with crews flying more than 600 hours and responding to more than 430 missions per year.
鈥溌槎勾接郴�檚 team performs both day and night operations, which can prove challenging in the Torres Strait 鈥� a region that is prone to extreme weather conditions and where transportation to hospital facilities is limited. The knowledge and experience of our pilots ensure the flight routes are planned and conducted safely and efficiently.
鈥淭his contract extension builds on a longstanding 12-year relationship with Queensland Health.鈥�
Executive Director of Queensland Health鈥檚 Aeromedical Retrieval & Disaster Management Unit, Dr Mark Elcock, said the contract extension and additional helicopter will ensure continuity of vital services to Australia鈥檚 northernmost communities.
鈥淧roviding health services can be a challenge because of the distance between the region鈥檚 main hospitals and outer-lying islands, so it鈥檚 critical that we have an emergency helicopter service that is reliable, available and experienced,鈥� Dr Elcock said.
鈥淲e have that in 麻豆传媒映画, which has provided exceptional aeromedical support for the past 12 years, helping us save countless lives.鈥�