July 21 2016

Mt Hutt offers support to Canterbury Westpac Rescue Helicopter

For Cantabrian Jordan, 21, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter made all the difference. Last season while skiing with a friend he skidded on some invisible ice near the base of Mt Hutt’s Triple Chair and suffered serious internal bleeding. Getting Jordan to Christchurch Hospital immediately for blood transfusions saved his life.

Mt Hutt’s Ski Area Manager James McKenzie is all too aware how important this service is. “You hope you’ll never need the Westpac Rescue Helicopter’s help, but accidents can happen and in remote areas, like our mountains, the local rescue helicopter can mean the difference between life and death. Our operational and medical team enjoy a close working relationship with the rescue crew, so we’re very happy to support the service.”

Christine Prince, CEO of Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue is thrilled that Mt Hutt are getting behind fundraising efforts this season. “On average each mission costs $8625; on a busy weekend the crew visit the mountain regularly. If we can get specialist care to a patient within 60 minutes their chance of making a full recovery increase by up to 80%. With only 30% of mission costs funded by the government, we rely on the community and initiatives like this.”

On Mt Hutt the team are asking staff, skiers, snowboarders, and guests to make a donation at the till when making on-mountain purchases. As Christine Prince states, “Every dollar really does make a difference – the crew operate 24/7 completing over 800 missions a year. We thank all visitors to Mt Hutt for their support.”

Thanks to the air rescue crew Jordan is excited about returning to Mt Hutt this season. “I’ve been skiing for years and have never broken a bone,” said Jorden, “You never know when you will need help the most; the rescue helicopter saved my life.”

Rescue missions are expensive and the money raised will help support skiers and snowboarders on the mountain this winter. “Most guests transported by air rescue are discharged from hospital on the same day, but with no x-ray facilities on the mountain it is always best to err on the side of caution when it comes to things like lumbar pain – it’s about safety and peace of mind for skiers.”

For more information to support the Canterbury Westpac Rescue Helicopter go to www.airrescue.co.nz, www.facebook.com/CWCairrescue or call them on 03 358 8244.

ENDS

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