LifeFlight angels flew 669 missions
THE Toowoomba RACQ LifeFlight Rescue base was the organisation’s busiest over the past year, completing a record 669 aeromedical missions.
“Those airlifts are valued at more than $8.3 million, but, of course, come at no cost to the patient,” director of aeromedical services Dave Donaldson said.
While medical transfers make up the majority of vital work performed by the Toowoomba RACQ LifeFlight Rescue aeromedical teams, some of the most high-profile and memorable missions involved winching patients from precarious places.
In the past 12 months the Toowoomba crew responded to 69 traffic accidents, 69 serious illnesses or infections, 53 cardiac emergencies, 47 respiratory emergencies and 44 neurological emergencies.
In May, a seriously injured woman had to be plucked from Table Top Mountain in Toowoomba, after she fell three metres while hiking.
In March, the crew winched a patient from the bottom of a steep rock face near Crows Nest, after a fall while rock climbing.
“RACQ LifeFlight Rescue is a critical service for Queenslanders, whether they’re in built up areas or in our remote and regional areas,” Mr Donaldson said.
Statewide in the past 12 months, RACQ LifeFlight Rescue’s combined resources of community helicopters, air ambulance jets and critical care doctors, have performed 6333 lifesaving missions.
RACQ LifeFlight Rescue’s community helicopters, based around Queensland, completed 2022 of those missions.
“Our rescue helicopters are, basically, critical care ambulances, that fly directly to the patient and we’re available 24/7, from all of our bases, throughout Queensland,” Mr Donaldson said.