See the regional rescue helicopter in action

If you’d like to see a winch rescue operation in action, head to the Blessing of the Fleet event at Saturday at 1.20pm, where the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter team will demonstrate one of its boat-winching operations.

The demonstration of this specialist technique of evacuating a person off a marine vessel is a popular feature of the event.

There are many anniversaries to celebrate at the Blessing of the Fleet this year, including the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter, which celebrates 30 years of helicopter service at the top of the South Island this year.

Giving members of the community a vivid picture of just how vital and precise the work of the rescue helicopter’s operation is, the winch operation is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Operating 24 hours a day, every day of the year, the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter flies more than 500 missions across the top of the South Island annually.

Now a familiar part of the land and sea emergency services, it is easy to forget that it’s a relatively modern addition to the sector.

The medical care and transportation missions include medical emergencies, motor vehicle accidents, search and rescue, industrial, rural and, increasingly, outdoor accidents.

The vital, lifesaving, timecritical service receives no direct government funding and in the Nelson Marlborough region relies on raising around $1.6 million every year to keep it flying. Relying on charitable donations and sponsorship for such an essential service can be a daunting prospect, but the generosity of the community, corporate sponsors and volunteers ensures that the rescue helicopter has been able to be where and when it’s most needed.

The service has just one fulltime and one part-time employee, with hundreds of hours given free of charge to keep the rescue helicopter in the air.

That familiar chopping noise cutting through the air can be the sweetest sound some people will ever hear, often meaning the difference between life or death for them or those they love.

Operating 24 hours of the day, every day of the year, the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter flies more than 500 missions across the top of the South Island every year.