A lifeline when it matters most

ANZCO Foods is proud to partner with the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust, supporting a vital service for people across our region – including those living and working in rural communities.

Between January and August this year, the Westpac Rescue Helicopters responded to 699 missions – 438 in Canterbury and 261 on the West Coast. Accidents accounted for 37% of missions, followed by medical emergencies (26%), patient transfers (20%) and search and rescue (8%). Almost one in five missions involved a winch operation, while 23% required the use of night vision goggles.

One person who knows the value of this service first-hand is Steve from Loburn. Steve suffered serious injuries after the horse he was riding flipped and landed on him. His phone was badly damaged in the incident so he was unable to call for help and walked a kilometre home before the rescue helicopter was called.

Steve later discovered his damaged phone was still working and he could have used its voice assistant to call 111 – a potentially lifesaving tip worth remembering in an emergency.

The rescue helicopter provided the critical care Steve needed. Read Steve's story here.