Cost of saving our lives
Toowoomba LifeFlight’s record year
THE 491 missions flown by Toowoomba’s LifeFlight crews cost a staggering $6.1 million in what proved to be a record year for the RACQ service across Queensland.
The service completed a record 1197 missions across the state last year, with the Toowoomba base recording the third highest transfer and airlift operations for the period.
Pilot Jan Steen said the record was a continuation of an upward trend in airlifts when compared to previous years.
“We did more missions again last year than the year before - it seems to be a trend,” he said.
Brisbane and Sunshine Coast bases were ranked the busiest, flying 633 and 499 missions respectively.
The staggering cost to keep the helicopters flying was due in part to the long distances travelled in the south-west region which stretches from Toowoomba to Goondiwindi and the NSW border, and north into the South Burnett.
Airlifts from traffic and motorbike crashes, as well as quad bike and equestrian injuries were the most common missions with 69 in the past year.
Cardiac conditions made up 59 airlifts followed by 34 stroke or neurological conditions, 30 abdominal conditions, and 23 falls including from animals, bushwalking and climbing, elderly or medical incidents, rounded out the top five patient injury or illnesses.
“The jobs to rural properties stand out because you always come home with a weird story of how things happen,” Mr Steen said.
“We also have a lot of missions to motorbike accidents, especially during the summer months and weekends.
“(On a) Saturday afternoon, there’s a good chance we will go to a motocross park to pick someone up.”
October and November, as well as the January to May period, were the busiest for the Toowoomba base, he said.
Each mission costs on average $12,500.
The jobs to rural properties stand out because you always come home with a weird story of how things happen.
— Jan Steen, RACQ LifeFlight pilot