RFDS Autumn 2019 Newsletter FINAL.Indd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Flying Doctor WESTERN AUSTRALIA – AUTUMN 2019 THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE CELEBRATING OUR UNSUNG HEROES MESSAGE FROM Contents OUR CEO AUTUMN 2019 02 Message from our CEO 03 Arrival of the Rio Tinto What a momentous year what our service means to them and LifeFlight PC-24 jet 2018 was for the Flying their motivation to support us year 04 Gibb Challenge Doctor in Western Australia! after year. 06 Regular Giving We celebrated 90 years of service in The New Year saw us pay tribute to our Australia, hosted our ALTITUDE Ball in Rio Tinto LifeFlight Hawker jet based 09 Corporate Partnerships our Jandakot hangars for the fi rst time at Perth Airport, the aircraft retiring 11 Fundraising Events and witnessed the historic touchdown after coming to the aid of nearly 2,500 of our fi rst Rio Tinto LifeFlight PC-24 jet patients during its decade-long tenure. 14 Fundraising Highlights in December. The decommissioning of the Hawker 15 Supporting RFDS jet, coupled with the arrival of the I had the great privilege of sharing our second Rio Tinto LifeFlight PC-24 jet achievement of a world fi rst for aero marks the completion of our integrated medical service with RFDS and Rio fl eet and signals a generational shift in Tinto staff, our corporate partners and RFDS capabilities. community supporters at arrival events RIO TINTO held at our Broome and Jandakot The introduction of two PC-24 jet hangars. aircraft to our fl eet is a signifi cant LIFEFLIGHT contribution to WA’s wider health and HAWKER JET It was a rare and special opportunity emergency services infrastructure. RETIRES to come together to celebrate a new We’re looking forward to having greater chapter in RFDS history. fl exibility when tasking crews to reach More than a decade ago, Rio Tinto As we embark on the next generation more people and communities who and RFDS recognised the critical of service, it’s fi tting that we refl ect need us the most. need to invest in a jet aircraft that on the evolution of our service and could deliver exceptional aero On behalf of the team and our patients, celebrate our achievements that have medical capabilities with extensive thank you for your ongoing generosity been made possible by generations of reach across all 2.5 million square and encouragement. I look forward to community support. kilometres of our state. sharing more with you throughout the year as we continuously strive to deliver Since entering service in October In this ‘Unsung Heroes’ edition, we the best response and outcomes for 2009, the Rio Tinto LifeFlight share some incredible stories of our patients across the state. Hawker jet travelled approximately extraordinary West Australians, from 4.5 million kilometres and assisted city to country, who have actively nearly 2,500 critically-ill patients supported the growth and expansion before being decommissioned in of our essential service – your Flying January this year. Doctor. As our major fundraiser event Gibb Patients retrieved by region: Rebecca Tomkinson Challenge returns in May for the Goldfi elds 25 Chief Executive Offi cer thirteenth year in a row, we catch up Great Southern 21 Royal Flying Doctor Service, with its founder Simon Rimmer and Western Australia Indian Ocean 286 hear from his ‘Gibbsters’, who share Kimberley 1,309 Midwest 126 Perth metro 177 Pilbara 490 Overseas 2 Other (Interstate) 35 Total patients 2,471 02 THE FLYING DOCTOR RFDS Western Australia, Locked Bag 2, Canning Vale DC WA 6970 Tel: (08) 9417 6400 Email: [email protected] ARRIVAL OF THE RIO TINTO LIFEFLIGHT PC-24 JET A WORLD FIRST FOR AERO MEDICAL SERVICE When the fi rst of two Rio Tinto LifeFlight PC-24 jets made its historic touchdown at Broome International Airport on Sunday, 2 December, it was not only a cause for celebration, it was a testament to innovation and tenacity. Arrival events were held at both the Broome and Jandakot bases, bringing together RFDS and Rio Tinto staff, dignitaries, and business and community leaders. Guests applauded and cheered as RFDS Western Operations chief pilot Albin Unger disembarked on home soil. Broome RFDS staff witnessed the historic touchdown of the Rio Tinto LifeFlight PC-24 jet as it landed in Western Australia for the fi rst time. The RFDS’ acquisition and medical fi t-out of two PC-24 jets is a world fi rst for aero medical service and an investment of $26 million, funded with the support of our major partner Rio Tinto ($10M) and the Commonwealth Government ($4.5M). Since the arrival of the jet in Western Australia, RFDS pilots, engineers and medical teams have undertaken a comprehensive training program to ensure the jet’s seamless entry into service and integration into the Western Operations fl eet. The second LifeFlight PC-24 jet arrived in Western Australia last month. The jets will be housed at the RFDS Jandakot and Broome hangars. To watch highlights of the Broome arrival event, visit www.rfdstv.com.au. RFDS ambassador Melva Stone, fl ight nurse Jo Smallshaw with RFDS board member Dr Ann Ward at Broome International Airport. The interior of the PC-24 jet has the capacity for three stretchered RFDS chief pilot Albin Unger (leftmost) with our crew of LifeFlight PC-24 patients and two medical teams. pilots at the Jandakot arrival event. AUTUMN 2019 THE FLYING DOCTOR 03 CYCLING FOR A CAUSE Those who have tackled it call it a life-changing experience. It’s challenging, breathtaking and hilariously good fun. It’s the kind of event that helps forge lifelong friendships. The annual Gibb River Mountain Bike Challenge is on again this May. The 660-kilometre team relay event, which raises money for the RFDS, is run from Derby to El Questro, taking in some of our state’s most beautiful and remote landscapes. This year’s event is the thirteenth challenge and, yet again, it has attracted people from across Australia who have a shared passion for adventure and raising funds for the RFDS. SIMON RIMMER – MEET TEAM DOWNER EAGLES GIBB CHALLENGE FOUNDER Armed with a network of corporate “I’ve done corporate triathlons but the sponsors and a unique fundraising Gibb Challenge is one of a kind – I’d do strategy, team Downer Eagles rallied it again in a heartbeat,” he said. their supply chain partners to raise “The mix of participants is really good nearly $150,000 for the Flying Doctor. and everyone had a Flying Doctor story Team captain Mark Mackay, an to share which made the journey really Executive General Manager at Downer meaningful. Group, had heard about the Gibb “I was able to get to know my Challenge through word-of-mouth while colleagues better outside of work, the living in Perth. pressure of work was switched off and Mark’s interest was piqued and despite we could just enjoy giving back to the being transferred interstate for work, he community.” 2019 is going to be stellar. The creation kept up to date by subscribing to the Mark said Downer Group had of the MTBA Fat Bike National Gibb Challenge’s mailing list. established a new team for the Championships on Cable Beach as “I noticed the RFDS was the benefi ciary 2019 event, encouraging others to a prologue is the perfect platform to and Downer has a footprint in regional go the distance both physically and celebrate, Broome being the spiritual and remote Western Australia so I philanthropically. home of the Gibb Challenge. I love the decided to fl ag it internally with the CEO country; getting back to the Kimberley “The response has been very positive, and it took off from there,” he said. each year is like a pilgrimage. It’s I think it’s really important to pass the somewhere you can’t help but be Once the team was formed, Downer baton on and connect others in the Australian; camping, fellowship, physical Group engaged an exclusive list of business with the cause.” endeavour and helping mates. sponsors, encouraging them to donate $10,000 in return for exposure on social I can’t imagine a better week, spent media and their company’s logo being with 400 of your newest best friends. Most displayed on team jerseys and support excitingly, and after all these years, our vehicles. event is still part of the Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster and will Mark said the social value of the event align with the Kimberley Moon Experience. and being off the grid were defi nite Pack your dancing shoes Gibbsters; we’re highlights. going to the biggest party in the Kimberley! Team Downer Eagles 04 THE FLYING DOCTOR AUTUMN 2019 Team Wonder Women MEET TEAM ‘WONDER WOMEN’ After raising $7000 for the RFDS in the “Next thing you know, you’ve “We have breakfast and we 2018 Gibb Challenge, team ‘Wonder purchased the fl ash bike, the padded drive home. Women’ are back again to tackle the pants and have started fundraising for “Some of the team are also endless corrugations, dust, soft sand the RFDS. members of the local gym and and water crossings along the Gibb “The reality hit us halfway through the do indoor spin classes together. River Road. fi rst day when the easterly winds made “I have also been riding to school, The Broome-based team of four the challenging terrain of the Gibb but that is only about three-and-a- friends were inspired to enter the Gibb River Road even more gruelling.” half kilometres so that doesn’t Challenge after their partners returned Roslyn said completing the challenge really count.