October 9, 2012
Last week’s aerial search for the missing Dragon bi-plane cost the AGL Action Rescue Helicopter about $200,000, CEO David Donaldson revealed today.
Quizzed by the media over the financial viability of the service – and the impact of last week’s tragic air crash – Mr Donaldson said he expected the service would be re-imbursed about $170,000 of the search costs by the Federal Government, but that would still leave a $30,000 shortfall.
The AGL Action Rescue Helicopter provides medical evacuation services for the South Burnett.
Mr Donaldson said last week’s search had put a drain on resources, and because of the number of flying hours had forced maintenance schedules to be brought forward.
The service had clocked up 50 flying hours across its three aircraft during the search; 18 people and its two bases had also been heavily involved.
Mr Donaldson said the service had budgeted for 50 flying hours for all search and rescue activities for a year “and we did that in three days”.
Questions over the future of the helicopter rescue service have been raised in the past and Mr Donaldson stressed again today that “if nothing changes” in regards to funding, the service could close.
“At the end of the day, if nothing changes, that will be the outcome,” he said.
He said the need to get sustainable funding was a “priority issue”.
“We’re continuing to work with the Queensland Government and they are engaging and talking with us. They understand the issue – obviously there are funding issues right across the Queensland Government at the moment – so I’m positive that we will get some result there,” he said.
Mr Donaldson said the Rescue Helicopter would never be fully funded by government. It would always have to rely on sponsorship and community fund-raising to survive.
However he expected the service would have a budget shortfall this year of $400,000.
Last year the AGL Action Rescue Helicopter flew just under 1100 missions or about 1700 flying hours. This was about the same level as the previous year, however their “flying deed” with the State Government was for just 600 hours.
The helicopter service’s major fund-raising event for the year, a gala ball next Friday night at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort at Mudjimba, is expected to raise about $100,000, Mr Donaldson said.
UPDATE October 15, 2012 – Figures are still being finalised but a spokesman said today it looks like the Ball raised about $110,000.
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