Funding boost for air ambulance

Brought to by:

AIR AMBULANCE - STAT AIR INTERNATIONAL
San Diego, California 92101
+1 619-754-6550 / 1-800-557-5911
Email : service@statair.com
http://www.statair.com/
(Provides Air Ambulance/Med-evac's worldwide, Travel Assistance & Medical Escorts on commercial flights)

Wellington's air ambulance service is to receive $42,000 a year for the next three years from Wellington City Council.

Life Flight Trust, which operates an air ambulance plane and a rescue helicopter out of Rongotai, asked the city council for $50,000 a year.

For the past three years, the trust has received $37,370 from Wellington City Council.

Life Flight marketing manager Candy Coe said it asked for more this time around because of increasing costs.

"There has been an exponential cost in aviation fuel. It's been an unprecedented rise.

"Also, costs have risen due to the exchange rate with the US, where we get our equipment from," she said.

"We've purchased a new engine from the US and due to the exchange rate, the cost went up from $275,000, from when we last bought an engine, to $400,000. That's a huge pressure."

Ms Coe said the helicopter engine needed to be replaced every five years.

Council spokesperson Richard MacLean said although Life Flight was very important, it was one of 27 organisations requesting funding.

Ms Coe said Life Flight was thrilled to receive the council funding.

"It's vital money. If we did not receive it from council, we would have to find that $42,000 somewhere else."

It costs $10 million a year to run the air ambulance and rescue helicopter service.

Life Flight receives $6 million in Government funding.

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/2869589/Funding-boost-for-air-ambulance