ANNUAL REVIEW

Transcription

1 ANNUAL REVIEW

2 TABLE of Contents Chairman s Message 4-5 Mid-Surgery Lifesaving Airlift A Year in Review 6-7 Fundraising Report The Board 8-9 Nightmare Start to the New Year 26 CEO s Message LifeFlight Coordination Centre Report 27 Funding Model 12 LifeFlight Training Our People 13 LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine Report CareFlight becomes LifeFlight Commercial Partners Report 32 Community Helicopters Report Engineering Report 33 Our Assets & Bases 18 Corporate Governance/Compliance & Safety 34 AW139s advance fleet renewal strategy 19 Dramatic Winch Rescue in national park 35 Air Ambulance Report 20 Financials Locations Flown 21 Our Sponsors & Supporters

3 OUR VISION To be the first choice charity and air-medical evacuation organisation. OUR MISSION To save lives and serve the community through the provision of rapid response critical care. CONTACT US HEAD OFFICE Level 1, 160 Robina Town Centre Dr Robina QLD 4226 CONNECT WITH US CORPORATE OFFICE Level 34, 32 Turbot Street Brisbane QLD 4000 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 5078 Robina Town Centre QLD 4230 PO Box George Street Brisbane QLD 4003 Ph: Fax: E: /LifeFlightOfficial /RACQ_LifeFlight lifeflight-australia /lifeflight_au c/lifeflight_au lifeflight.org.au 3

4 The Hon. Robert Borbidge AO has been Chairman since July

5 CHAIRMAN S Message I am pleased to present the LifeFlight Annual Review on behalf of the Board and the Executive Leadership Team. THE PAST 12 months have seen some of the most significant changes to LifeFlight Australia since the organisation commenced operations 35 years ago. Most noticeably, the organisation adopted a new name, LifeFlight, after starting operations as the Gold Coast Helicopter Rescue Service in 1981, which was later changed to CareFlight. The decision to change the name was not taken lightly as the Board has long understood the goodwill and awareness the name CareFlight was fortunate to hold within the community, with our stakeholders and our valued staff. However to truly reflect the organisation LifeFlight has become, as well as to differentiate the organisation from an unrelated operator with the same name, it was a necessary and exciting step. The name change coincided with the 35th Anniversary Celebrations of CareFlight and this provided an opportunity to reflect on the past while planning for an exciting future. Significantly, LifeFlight acquired a third AgustaWestland 139 (AW 139) helicopter as part of the fleet renewal strategy aimed at upgrading our fleet with the latest technology aircraft which has the primary focus of improving patient outcomes. The third helicopter will advance our transition to an AW139 helicopter platform and by reducing the number of aircraft type it will improve training, maintenance and facility efficiencies as well as meet key safety objectives. LifeFlight s ongoing growth also sees the launch of a new Thales Reality H AW139 Level D Full Flight Simulator in late 2016, delivered in partnership with Thales, a global technology leader in aerospace, transportation and security and defence. The international partnership has resulted in the establishment of the Thales LifeFlight Simulation Centre, based at the LifeFlight Training Academy and featuring the Thales AW139 Simulator, which will enable air crews from throughout Australia, Asia Pacific and beyond, to train safely and effectively in Brisbane. I would like to acknowledge Thales who is an exceptional partner, as The decision to change the name was not taken lightly. well as the Queensland Government, Brisbane Airport Corporation and Aviation Australia for their support and commitment in delivering this initiative. A new partnership formed with Kaan Air, based in Turkey, has enabled us to launch the joint venture entity, StarFlight. This partnership venture will provide complete turnkey solutions with Kamov Ka-32A11BC helicopters for firefighting in Australia. The LifeFlight Board and Executive Team would also like to thank the Queensland Government for providing additional funds to ensure the continuation of the much-needed air-medical service in North West Queensland, following a merger with NQ Rescue in The Palaszczuk Government provided $1.2 million in funding to ensure the continued delivery of air-medical services for the next 12 months. A number of changes have been made to the LifeFlight Board: LifeFlight Australia, LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine and Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue Service became duplicate boards on September 25, 2015 Hon. Jim Elder was appointed to the Board Six Directors ceased their officeholder positions with LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine including Dr Stephen Buckland, Bob Nash, Allan Godbee, Alan George, Miles Currington and Paul McHugh. Three long-serving Directors will retire at the AGM in November Don Moffatt, Bill Freeman and Peter Young have been wonderful servants to our organisation and unwavering in their commitment to the delivery of emergency air-medical care to the communities we serve. As LifeFlight looks nationally and internationally to secure partnerships that will enable us to improve the quality of our service, our passion and commitment to the delivery of a world-class air-medical service to communities throughout Queensland remains at the heart of all that we do. On behalf of the Board, thank you to the wonderful volunteers, community supporters, donors, business community and partners, and to our incredible staff for their dedication, support and contributions throughout the year. The Hon. Robert Borbidge AO Chairman LifeFlight 5

6 A YEAR IN Review LifeFlight celebrated 35 years of lifesaving missions in Queensland. 6

7 LifeFlight, formerly known as CareFlight, celebrated 35 years of lifesaving missions in Queensland anyone, anywhere, anytime 2200 LifeFlight aircraft performed a record 2200 missions both fixed wing and rotary an increase of 20.4% 41 RACQ LifeFlight Rescue now covers 41 council regions in Queensland and northern New South Wales, providing services to 75% of the state population 110 Across Queensland, LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine supplies 110 doctors to RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopters, LifeFlight Air Ambulances and other air-medical services 238 LifeFlight crews attended 238 motor vehicle accidents, including motorbike and quad bike accidents 245 LifeFlight s Air Ambulance division flew 245 domestic and international missions throughout Australia and around the world 12,500 Each lifesaving RACQ LifeFlight Rescue mission costs on average $12,500 23,019 LifeFlight s engineering team performed 23,019 hours of scheduled and unscheduled aircraft maintenance 10,000 10,000 bears were purchased from our Donor Contact Centre by generous supporters to help fund LifeFlight s lifesaving work 7

8 THE BOARD LifeFlight Australia Hon. Robert Borbidge AO Chairman (Non-Executive) Don Moffatt Deputy Chairman (Non-Executive) Ashley van de Velde Director (Executive) and Chief Executive Officer Stewart Morland Director (Non-Executive) Bill Freeman Director (Non-Executive) The Hon. Rob Borbidge AO became Chairman of LifeFlight (formerly CareFlight Group) in July The 35th Premier of Queensland, Rob Borbidge led a minority National Liberal Coalition Government from 1996 to He served in senior Cabinet posts, was Deputy Leader and Leader of the Opposition before retiring in 2001 after serving more than 20 years as the Member for Surfers Paradise. A Life Member of LifeFlight, Don Moffatt is a former Australian Army Helicopter Pilot and a successful Sunshine Coast property developer. He served as Chairman of Tourism Sunshine Coast for seven years and Deputy Chairman of the Sunshine Coast Turf Club for 16 years. Ashley van de Velde has devoted his life to LifeFlight s mission and vision and has been CEO of the organisation for more than two decades, starting as an Aircrewman back in Since then Ashley has been responsible for LifeFlight s growth and diversification nationally and internationally and is committed to ensuring quality medical care is available to local and remote communities. Stewart Morland has been involved in the Australian Energy sector for more than 25 years. Stewart s additional business interests include transport, aviation and marine charter and computer software and hardware development. Stewart has a strong commitment to philanthropic endeavours which saw him serve as Chairman of LifeFlight for seven years from 2006 to Bill Freeman is an experienced Sunshine Coast businessman and partner in one of Queensland s leading urban consultancy groups helping to shape parts of Queensland. For 15 years Bill was a board member of the Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue Service. In July 2013, when the two services merged Bill was appointed to the LifeFlight board. LIFEFLIGHT RETRIEVAL MEDICINE BOARD The LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine (LRM) board provides their expertise and leadership to govern LRM. We thank them for their service in On September 25, 2015 the LRM Board became a duplicate of the LifeFlight Australia Board. * Denotes retired from LRM Board on September 25, Denotes retiring from LifeFlight Board on November 17,

9 Colin Archer Director (Non-Executive) Rod Forrester Director (Non-Executive) Peter Young Director (Executive) Paul Turner Director (Non-Executive) Hon. Jim Elder Director (Non-Executive) Colin Archer is an accountant with more than 30 years experience, having founded Archer Gowland Chartered Accountants in 1981 and Archers Body Corporate Management in Colin is also the Managing Director of Archer Rural, Chairman of Retail Food Group Ltd, Founding President of Strata Community Australia and a Director of Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue Service before the 2013 merger with LifeFlight. Rod Forrester is a highly successful Sunshine Coast based businessman and a SCHRS board member since 2002 and LifeFlight since Founder of Forrester Parker Group, Rod went on to head FKP Limited. His extensive community commitment has included: Founding Chairman of Matthew Flinders College; University of Sunshine Coast Board Member; and Chairman of their Capital Work s Committee and Deputy Chancellor. Peter Young is a small business operator and has been a LifeFlight board member since the early 1980s. A self employed businessman since 1969, Peter was on the board when it made the visionary decision to delve into the corporate world, expanding the Helicopter Underwater Escape Training and the Air Ambulance division. Paul Turner has worked for more than 30 years in media, politics, public relations and corporate communications for companies such as Bank of Queensland and Origin Energy. Paul has been Executive General Manager Advocacy for RACQ for five years. He represents RACQ, as LifeFlight s namingrights sponsor for more than 20 years, on the LifeFlight board. Former Deputy Premier of Queensland, Hon. James (Jim) Elder has a long history of serving Queensland communities. During more than 12 years of parliamentary service with the Queensland Government, Jim worked across portfolios in State Development and Trade, Transport, Health, Business, Industry and Regional Development, as well as Youth, Sport and Recreation. Hon. James Elder (Jim) Dr Stephen Buckland (Steve)* Peter Harley Young Robert William Nash (Bob)* Allan Godbee* Director/Chairman Director Director/Secretary Director Director Alan Mark George* Miles Edward David Currington* Paul McHugh* Don Moffatt Stewart Morland Director Director Director Director Director 9

10 10 10 LIFEFLIGHT ANNUAL ANNUAL REVIEW REVIEW Ashley van de Velde has been CareFlight/LifeFlight s CEO since its inception.

11 CEO S Message THIS YEAR WE celebrated LifeFlight s 35 th anniversary, providing an opportunity to reflect on where we started and where we are now. I am proud of, and thankful to, the people who have built LifeFlight from the single helicopter operation based on the Gold Coast to one of Australia s finest air-medical retrieval operations reaching local communities, interstate and internationally. The frontline staff as well as the critical behind-the-scenes teams, our Board, the Queensland Government, stakeholders, sponsors such as our long-term naming rights partner RACQ, and volunteers have all contributed to this evolution. In 1981, LifeFlight conducted around 150 rescues. This year we performed over 1,800 helicopter missions, as well as more than 4,700 patient transfers or rescues by LifeFlight doctors on other air- medical retrieval services and more than 245 Air Ambulance missions. From one helicopter and a small team of dedicated staff, LifeFlight has grown to include: Five community air-medical bases Over 110 critical care doctors, 24 flight nurses and eight flight paramedics across the state Total staff of skilled pilots, co-pilots and aircrew (rotary and fixed wing) 13 helicopters Three Air Ambulance jets International Training Academy featuring the world-first Thales Reality H AW139 Flight Simulator Coordination centre overseeing the logistics of a complex operation Dedicated heavy maintenance facility staffed by a team of skilled engineers. It has taken the dedication of many people to create the organisation LifeFlight is today. This year we acknowledged the commitment of Peter Spurgin, better known as Spurg, who started work as a pilot for CareFlight in He flew the line for a decade before becoming Chief Pilot in 1996, then Integrated Risk Manager in 2005, developing a strategy that was to change the way Australian search and rescue was conducted. Peter retired in 2014 and we acknowledged his contribution The many achievements of this year are a testament to our staff, volunteers and the community... by naming the organisation s first AgustaWestland 139 (AW139) helicopter, the Peter Spurg Spurgin. The introduction of the AW139 helicopters to the fleet as part of an ongoing renewal program continued with the arrival of a third AW139. The permanent medical fit-outs required to ensure these aircraft were mission-ready were carried out by local aviation company, HeliMods which ensures LifeFlight aircraft have the same lifesaving equipment as that of a modern hospital emergency department. Saving the life of a critically ill patient requires the best medical equipment and resources. However it also requires experienced medical teams and this financial year, LifeFlight introduced the provision of highly skilled flight nurses to clinical services across the state. This has created the opportunity to work with Retrieval Services Queensland and the Royal Flying Doctor Service on a partnership that enables nurses to rotate across each service. As LifeFlight has expanded its clinical services, there was also expansion in our Air Ambulance capability with the relocation of one of our jets to Singapore and has resulted in the recent formation of a new company, LifeFlight Singapore. The move provides us with the ability to service a much larger client base, links our Australian and South Pacific services through to Europe and potentially allows us to provide patients from around the world with the finest medical care. Our rebrand from CareFlight Group to LifeFlight Australia, was a major decision and while our name may have changed, the essence and quality of the service has not. I would like to thank our Directors for their ongoing support and commitment to LifeFlight and the communities we serve. The many achievements of this financial year are a testament to our staff, volunteers and the community who support us. Thank you to our loyal partners and sponsors who continue to support us year after year. Hundreds of patients who are now continuing their lives with their families and friends are the reason we continue to work to improve our service and remains the focus of all that we do. Ashley van de Velde Chief Executive Officer LifeFlight 11

12 FUNDING Model FUNDRAISING/ SPONSORSHIP GOVT FUNDING SOCIAL ENTERPRISE 69% GOVERNMENT FUNDING 26% FUNDRAISING/ SPONSORSHIP 5% SOCIAL ENTERPRISE 10-year service agreement with the Queensland Government and Government grants Community donations, appeals, bequests, grants, corporate partnerships and sponsorships Shortfall funded by Air Ambulance, LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine and LifeFlight Training Academy All net proceeds generated by the commercial divisions of LifeFlight Australia are directed back to the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue community helicopter service. 12

13 OUR People LifeFlight s team of air-medical crews, engineers, operational coordinators, and support staff are integral to the organisation s lifesaving work in the community and beyond. THE financial year was a momentous 12 months for LifeFlight, and its dedicated team of 356 employees and 200 volunteers worked hard to ensure the best possible airmedical care was available to anyone, anywhere, anytime. LifeFlight and the wider community greatly appreciate each and every staff member and volunteer who provides their time, expertise and passion to saving lives and serving the community. Several team members demonstrated employee excellence this past year and their proud achievements should be celebrated. Congratulations to the following staff members who received a special acknowledgment, or reached their milestone five or 10-year anniversary with LifeFlight in FIVE YEARS: Leigh Aynsley, Andrew Bavage, Belinda Berry, Benjamin Bezuidenhout, Dugald Boyd, Keith Burns, Simon Cadzow, Brett Cochrane, Charles Curley, Don Fillingame, Karolina Freund, Matthew Johnson, Lucas Karchinsky, Angela Kello, Sophie Lawson, Peter Marris, David McDonald, Beverly Michels, Jeremy Ovens, Jan Steen, Brad Solomon, Nicholas Trimmer, Ben Trollope, Daniel Tyler and Andrew Warton. 10 YEARS: Mark Arthur, Anthony Fairburn, Rob Godden, Brent Hall, John Kennedy, Anthony Preston, Andrew Riches and Brian Russell. JOSH BALL, Rotary Wing Flight Nurse Almost 10 years after being airlifted by RACQ LifeFlight Rescue, patient-turned-nurse Josh was named Australian of the Day (a Commonwealth Bank-sponsored program) for his outstanding work with LifeFlight. SANDY HILL, Volunteer Sandy has been a proud LifeFlight volunteer for more than seven years, supporting the Fundraising team with our quarterly direct mail appeals. Sandy has handled around 81,000 donations amounting to an incredible $6 million. MICHELLE BLACK, Rotary Wing Flight Nurse Manager Brisbane-based Nurse Manager/Flight Nurse Michelle was recognised with an award for best nursing presentation at the 2016 Flight Nurse Association Conference in New Zealand. She has been part of our air-medical team for three years. RYAN WITHNELL, Contact Centre Coordinator Having served LifeFlight for eight years, Ryan played a vital role in running the Donor Contact Centre, which raised almost $2.5 million. Ryan also suited up in LifeFlight s iconic Chief Bear outfit at about 25 Fundraising events last year. 13

14 The name LifeFlight was chosen because saving lives is what we re all about. 14

15 CAREFLIGHT becomes LifeFlight IT WAS 35 years in the making and a new era in Australian air-medical care was ushered in with CareFlight changing its name to LifeFlight. The historic, symbolic and widely publicised flyover of LifeFlight s three new AW139s in a formation flight over Brisbane skies in July, heralded the transformation of the organisation which retains its core focus of saving lives. The decision to change the name to LifeFlight was given deep consideration by the LifeFlight Executive Team and Board over a long period with the new brand reflecting the growth and renewal phase which the company was undergoing. In making the announcement, LifeFlight Chairman Rob Borbidge said all organisations changed and evolved and the change was in name only with a business-as-usual approach adopted from day one of the newly christened organisation. LifeFlight was chosen because saving lives is what we are all about and our patient focus and dedication to a total blanket of care for people in their hour of need all around the state hasn t changed and won t change, Mr Borbidge said. The launch of LifeFlight was a major planning and logistical challenge for the organisation, requiring the coordination of a media and marketing launch across all Queensland bases, and the overnight rebranding of all of the company s community helicopters and Air Ambulance jets. Ominous clouds didn t dampen the enthusiasm or skill of LifeFlight s air crews as they launched the three AW139s from Archerfield base and flew in company across the city skies for a rebrand public awareness campaign and a photo shoot which later featured on the cover of RACQ s Road Ahead magazine. Mr Borbidge made the announcement in the Queen Street Mall along with LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine Chairman Jim Elder and LifeFlight CEO Ashley van de Velde. It was the culmination of a monthlong campaign which celebrated the organisation s evolution from a single chopper operation in 1981 under the banner of the Gold Coast Helicopter Rescue Service. Mr van de Velde said the change of name was necessary to reduce confusion in the community and the market place with CareFlight New South Wales, which started around the same time, but which was a totally separate organisation and different charity from CareFlight Queensland. He said LifeFlight s great partnerships with Queensland communities, especially in regional and rural areas, would remain and the organisation would continue to work closely with all of its partners especially long-time naming rights partner RACQ to save lives anyone, anywhere, anytime. Aside from the name, nothing else has changed at LifeFlight, Mr van de Velde said. We are celebrating 35 years of service and our organisation remains not-for-profit. We will continue to be a major community helicopter rescue service in Queensland and a major provider to Queensland Health. What everyone at LifeFlight was proud of doing yesterday will go on today, tomorrow and the next day. RACQ Executive General Manager Advocacy Paul Turner said the club was very proud to continue its long association with the iconic air-medical service under a new name and brand. CareFlight has established an unparalleled reputation for its lifesaving care over the past 35 years and this name change to LifeFlight will further enable them to stand on their own feet in the future, Mr Turner said. LifeFlight creates a unique identity for Queensland s incredible helicopter rescue network. 15

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17 COMMUNITY Helicopters Report LifeFlight s nine community helicopters and crews performed 1,864 air-medical flights across Queensland and northern NSW. RACQ LifeFlight celebrated 35 years of saving lives this year with a record number of rescue missions. EVERY DAY THE dedicated crews of the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopters airlift patients who are seriously ill or suffering life-threatening and traumatic injuries. In early May, four motocross riders required urgent airlifts in just two days following serious accidents; while days later a man was winched from the side of the Glass House Mountains; and a boat which crashed into the rocks off Bundaberg left a passenger with severe injuries. These urgent rescues would not be possible without the commitment and care of our crews, medical staff and an amazing support network. It was a record year of lifesaving missions in , with LifeFlight s nine community helicopters performing 1,864 air-medical flights across Queensland and northern New South Wales. The milestone figure is a 32% increase on the last financial year and testament to the rapidly growing lifesaving role of LifeFlight in communities across the state. RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopters and crews attended 499 serious incidents this year, which included 238 vehicle accidents involving cars, trucks motorbikes and quad bikes. There were also 46 animal related incidents (mostly horse falls and encounters with cattle), 23 industrial/farming related accidents and 22 dramatic winch rescues from the side of mountains, gorges and bushland. More than two-thirds of all community helicopter airlifts involve transferring seriously ill or injured patients between hospitals for specialist treatment. The top five mission types were cardiac conditions (329); falls from animals/ladders/ climbing (149); infections/serious illness (144); stroke/neurological conditions (97); and respiratory conditions (96). RACQ LifeFlight Rescue s blanket of care covers 41 council regions in Queensland and northern New South Wales and operates from five community helicopter bases in Toowoomba, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Bundaberg and Mount Isa. LifeFlight s Toowoomba, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast bases were the busiest this financial year performing 85% of all airlifts. LifeFlight is continuing to transform and modernise its fleet, this year adding a third AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter to the organisation s community rescue service. The AW139s, which have all been equipped with a state-of-the-art medical fitout, have improved range and speed and will allow LifeFlight to get to more people in need of critical care. Three AW139s are currently based in Brisbane and have shown advanced aviation capabilities by flying from Brisbane to Gladstone on two missions this year. Looking to the future, LifeFlight s community helicopters will continue to support regional communities and be there for everyone in their greatest hour of need. Every critical rescue mission costs around $12,500 and would not be possible without the loyal and passionate support of naming rights sponsor RACQ as well as other corporate sponsors, the Queensland Government and the magnificent communities in which we operate. 17

18 OUR ASSETS and Bases MOUNT ISA 1 Bell 230 (XCW) 1 crew house CAIRNS TOWNSVILLE 1 Lear 45 (CXJ) 1 crew house MACKAY ROTARY WING ASSETS FIXED WING ASSETS 08 BASE FACILITIES 10 LRM BASES ROCKHAMPTON ROMA 1 Bell 412 (XCI) 1 crew on-site accom TOOWOOMBA 2 Bell 412 (XCK & XCO) 1 crew on-site accom BUNDABERG 1 BK117 (EHQ) 1 Bell 109 (ZCF) 1 crew rental house ARCHERFIELD 2 Bell 412 (XCN & XCY) Maintenance facility Base facility & LRM base SUNSHINE COAST 1 BK117 (BKV) 1 crew on-site accom BRISBANE 3 AW139 (XIJ, XIL & XIH) 1 AS350 (BA) 1 Bell 412 (XCN) 1 Lear 45 (VVI) 1 Challenger 604 (URR) Aviation Australia facility Training aircraft Bell 412 (XCF) Brisbane base Brisbane city office LIFEFLIGHT ANNUAL ANNUAL REVIEW REVIEW SINGAPORE

19 The fleet renewal strategy accelerated with the purchase of a third AW139. THIRD AW139 advances fl eet renewal strategy BUILDING ON PROGRESS from last year, January 2016 marked a significant milestone in LifeFlight s fleet renewal strategy with the acquisition of a third AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter. LifeFlight s focus has been firmly set on an operational transition to AW139 aircraft, moving the organisation towards greater standardisation and enhancing its reach across the state. Through the collaborative efforts of the entire organisation and its board, LifeFlight successfully acquired and deployed the first two AW139 helicopters last financial year. The fleet renewal strategy was advanced this year with the procurement of the third new aircraft (VH-XIL) which was launched to the public in spectacular fashion on July 11, 2016 with an historic three-aircraft flyover of Brisbane at the official LifeFlight launch. We are extremely satisfied that our fleet transformation is progressing as planned with the arrival of our third new aircraft, said LifeFlight Chief Operating Officer, Brian Guthrie. This transition to the new aircraft will ensure our fleet is equipped with an aviation capability that is more advanced and well positioned for decades of service to the community. The third AW139 also provided a first for the organisation with the assembly of the new aircraft completed by LifeFlight s own engineers at the company hangar at Archerfield Airport. The aircraft s journey began with the manufacturer in Italy and travelled through to the assembly plant in Philadelphia, USA, then Essendon Airport in Victoria and finally to Archerfield Airport. With the fuselage and tail boom arriving on separate pallets along with 17 large crates of parts, the engineers got to work. This was the first time an AW139 had been fully assembled in Australia, other than by the original manufacturer, which is testament to LifeFlight s benchmark engineering capabilities. One of the main reasons we wanted to assemble it here was so that we could put in place some preventative measures we wouldn t usually get the chance to do, such as corrosion LifeFlight s focus has been firmly set on an operational transition to AW 139 aircraft. prevention, said Executive Manager Engineering Mick Richmond. It also gave us an in depth understanding of the aircraft for future maintenance. Following its assembly, the AW139 was then flown directly to the Sunshine Coast where it underwent its permanent medical fit-out by a local company, HeliMods. The second AW139 helicopter (VH- XIJ) underwent a similar medical fit-out and returned to service in August 2016, while VH-XIH is also undergoing its medical upgrade, before taking up an operational position in the fleet by Christmas. As demand on our service grows, we must ensure our AW139 aircraft are to a standard which is comparable with any air-medical ambulance anywhere else in the world, Mr Guthrie said. The EMS fit-out ensures our aircraft have all of the lifesaving equipment that a modern state-of-the-art emergency department would have. The EMS fit-out of the AW139s was made possible by the incredible generosity of RACQ LifeFlight Rescue s supporters and donors who helped fundraise much of the money. LifeFlight will continue its fleet renewal strategy for all of its bases across the state in a financially responsible manner over the next three to five years. 19

20 AIR AMBULANCE Report I T HAS BEEN 12 years since LifeLight s Air Ambulance repatriated its first patient and since then the highly-experienced clinical crews have airlifted more than 1,800 people domestically and abroad. In , the service treated and transported 245 patients, a 10% increase in mission figures from the previous financial year. Of the 245 retrievals, 147 of these were within Australia and 98 were abroad. The service s three specialist Air Ambulance aircraft spent 1,537 hours in the air, performing these vital tasks. With Air Ambulances strategically placed in Brisbane, Townsville (a Lear 45 and Lear 45XR) and a third now operating in Singapore as of 20 April 2016, LifeFlight provides unparalleled coverage of the Asia Pacific region and beyond. The newly established Singapore LifeFlight jets were airborne for 1,537 hours. base allows LifeFlight to optimise logistically demanding long-distance patient transfers, and enhances the organisation s ability to deliver a premium service to its clients. From all three bases, the service can respond to domestic and international medical evacuations in as little as 90 minutes. Evidence of this increased reach was shown on a number of occasions this year with the crews delivering specialist care to patients in diverse locations such as Kenya, Bali, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Japan, China, Thailand, Singapore, Fiji, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Norfolk Island. One of the most notable missions took place in June 2016 when LifeFlight airlifted two patients from Port Vila, Vanuatu following a serious bus accident. Ten tourists were injured and three locals were killed in the crash. LifeFlight worked with local authorities to retrieve two patients and fly them to the Royal Brisbane and Women s Hospital under the supervision of LifeFlight s medical team. As the next financial year approaches, LifeFlight s Air Ambulance division moves into this new chapter equipped with a wider reach than ever before and with the goal of investigating further opportunities presented through the new Singapore Base. This year, the service treated and transported 245 patients. Crews can respond to retrievals in as little as 90 minutes. 20

21 LOCATIONS fl own this year FLIGHT PATHS SINGAPORE TOWNSVILLE BRISBANE 56 LifeFlight Air Ambulance jets flew to 56 destinations to retrieve sick and injured patients. 245 We took to the skies to treat and transport 245 patients, a 10% increase on last year. 21

22 The Devereaux family were special guests at Parliament House with Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. MOTHER OF SEVEN receives lifesaving airlift mid-surgery GYMPIE MOTHER OF seven, Tracey Devereaux, complained of a stomach ache one ordinary Tuesday afternoon, but just days later was fighting for her life. The ache was an aneurysm on her small intestine and for two days, Tracey had unknowingly been slowly bleeding to death. It s such a rare a thing in someone her age, that she was initially diagnosed as having constipation, husband Bruce said. It was only when Tracey collapsed in the emergency department of the Gympie Hospital they realised it was far more serious. An ambulance was called and rushed a deteriorating Tracey to Nambour General Hospital, with Bruce tailing frantically behind in the family car. She came in very unstable. You can t lose and replace that much blood without consequences, doctors told Bruce. Tracey was rushed into keyhole surgery to stop the bleed. It should have been the end of their ordeal, but it was only just beginning. A freak accident saw a tiny coil, used to stop the bleeding, lodged in one of her main arteries. A life-threatening blood clot formed, cutting blood supply to her bowels. Tracey was bleeding into her stomach cavity. With no specialist vascular surgeon on-site, Tracey s only chance was an emergency mid-operation airlift by RACQ LifeFlight Rescue. Mid-operation. I didn t even know it was possible, Bruce said. Although she was barely alive, the doctors weren t giving up. I knew how much time they d save taking her by chopper. It gave me hope she had a chance. LifeFlight s BK117 helicopter took Tracey to Brisbane, rushing her straight from the helipad into the operating theatre. Vascular experts made an incision into her artery to remove the blood clot and then repaired the damage using a vein from her leg. Meanwhile, Bruce returned home to Gympie to break the news to his children and extended family that their beloved mum was fighting for life. 22

23 Tracey Devereaux collapsed in the emergency department of Gympie Hospital after an aneurysm on her small intestine. The Devereaux family are so thankful that LifeFlight gave them back their wife, mother and best friend. He told them, in the best way he knew how, that Tracey was very sick and he would take them all to Brisbane to see her. It was killing me. I was about to destroy the worlds of these beautiful children Tracey and I made and intuitively sworn to protect, he said. One of his children asked if their Mum was going to be okay. Bruce s heartbroken reply was: Probably not. The scene in front of me collapsed, he said. Children screamed and wailed, and adults swept in to support and comfort them. It was dreadful. It was heart wrenching. It still cuts me up. This roller coaster of panic was difficult to say the least. I felt like I d been to hell and back. But through it all I told myself I wasn t going to cry until Tracey was okay. I was determined they d be tears of joy. Tracey spent an agonising 36 days in ICU, three months in hospital, endured 10 operations and by the time she left had just 90cm of small bowel (about 15%). When Tracey got her RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter ride, statistically she had a 10% chance of survival. By some miracle, and a whole lot of science and medical intervention, she made it, Bruce said. You might think that RACQ LifeFlight Rescue had only a small part to play in this. But we re here today because if LifeFlight didn t exist, Tracey wouldn t have made it through that very first night. The good news is she continues to defy my pessimist s imagination and If LifeFlight didn t exist Tracey wouldn t have made it through that very first night. do well. Bruce, Tracey and their family were special guests at the Queensland Parliament House Annexe in August, 2016 along with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls, for the official renaming of CareFlight to LifeFlight. Bruce and Tracey shared their emotional roller coaster of a story that night to a spellbound room. The constant reminder of the crisis in the Devereaux s Gympie home is the sound of the helicopter as it comes and goes from Gympie Hospital. It s loud. It s unmissable. It s wonderful. It means someone is being given their best chance of surviving some horrible ordeal, Bruce said. But what they actually do is give parents a chance to get their child back, and wives their husbands, brothers their sisters. They have given me my best friend back and our children their Mum. LifeFlight has actually changed their childhood. They changed our lives. 23

24 FUNDRAISING Report AT LIFEFLIGHT WE believe that together we can make a difference. The organisation is assisted on every mission by community and corporate donors who support a diversified program of fundraising initiatives which span the state. These programs include direct mail, bequests, workplace giving, monthly giving, third-party event fundraising and more. We also have wonderful support from 41 councils across Queensland. Every dollar raised has a powerful 1 impact on the lives of patients and in an incredible $7.2 million was raised through the community to ensure LifeFlight could be there for anyone, anywhere, anytime. This figure includes funds raised through LifeFlight s Donor Contact Centre which sells the service s iconic bears, merchandise and clothing. This year, generous donors also supported LifeFlight s Charity of the Month program which saw more than 3,500 LifeFlight bears donated to various children s charities. More than 200 volunteers donated their time and efforts across Queensland to assist these fundraising efforts. Each volunteer played a significant role from working long hours at various events, providing administrative assistance or collecting donation tins. The service simply wouldn t function without the tireless dedication of these wonderful, selfless people. We had many fundraising events and campaigns throughout the year and some of the highlights are included in this report. BRISBANE COMMUNITY OPEN DAY The Brisbane base commenced operations in July 2015 and has become one of our busiest bases. Over 400 locals had a rare behind-thescenes look at our RACQ LifeFlight Rescue lifesaving operations in February. The Open Day was the first chance the community had to see the hangar and the newest AW139 helicopter, as well as the equipment and facilities which our dedicated Brisbane supporters helped to fund through the Brisbane Base Mobilisation Project. LifeFlight Chairman, the Hon. Rob Borbidge AO, officially opened the event. Former patients, David Hessey and Ethan Lees, shared their survival stories and how LifeFlight s fast response saved their lives. The Community Open Day was a fun filled day for families and aviation enthusiasts alike with a BBQ, family activities and crew meet-and-greets. 24

25 2 KINGAROY POLICE AND ROTARY CLUB BALL The Police and Rotary Club Ball is one of Kingaroy s annual fundraisers and the event in May raised a record $43,980. Our new North Coast Community Engagement team member Jodi Durkin (pictured) attended the event in her first week. The level of enthusiasm from the event organisers to create a The Sky s The Limit themed black tie event was incredible and much appreciated by over 300 local guests. Rotary President Wayne Bushell said the event celebrated 150 years of policing in Queensland, and the Rotary and Kingaroy Police working together for the local community. 4 HUTCHIES CORPORATE CHALLENGE The Hutchies Corporate Challenge, presented by Taylor s Removals, raises funds for the Hutchinson Builders Toowoomba International (HBTI) charity of choice, RACQ LifeFlight Rescue. The event saw local participating organisations compete in team tennis doubles matches against other local organisations with the emphasis on fun and experiencing a professional-type event as a participant. There were great prizes and bragging rights for the winning Corporate Tennis Team and prizes for the highest fundraising team, best dressed themed team and other lucky draws. 3 MINE ELECTRICAL SAFETY Rob Hanson and the team at Mine Electrical Safety Association generously donated $15,000 to LifeFlight s North West (Mount Isa) service. The cheque was presented to Community Engagement North West staff member Gemma Murphy. Their generosity didn t stop there! Lionel Smith and his team at Mine Electrical Safety Association also donating $15,000 to LifeFlight s South East Service at the Brisbane Community Open Day. Thank you to all the team at Mine Electrical Safety Association for being wonderful supporters of our lifesaving service. ROBINA CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAP 5 LifeFlight fundraising staff on the Gold Coast teamed up with our fabulous volunteers to spread Christmas cheer for the 11 days leading up to Christmas. One of our incredibly passionate LifeFlight Nurses Josh Ball, came and helped us out with the launch of the Christmas Gift Wrap at Robina Town Centre straight after working all night. Robina Town Centre provided all the paper, scissors, ribbon and the wonderful wrapping benches. Over 60 volunteers wrapped approximately 9,000 gifts and raised $9,

26 FAMILY S NIGHTMARE start to the New Year GOLD COAST FATHER Alan Hockings vividly remembers New Year s Day, 2016 at Lake Borumba, north-west of Nambour. It was the day his nine-year-old son Jairus came dangerously close to losing his arm following a freak wakeboarding accident. The family was lapping up the beautiful morning and the ideal skiing conditions on the flat and crystal clear water. Jairus had finished the first run on his wakeboard and was being towed back to the changeover point in the bay behind a ski boat. His father was driving the boat parallel to the shore to drop him off. Jairus had done this many times before, but on this occasion things went horribly wrong. He crossed the wash and headed toward the bank where his grandfather and brother were waiting, Alan said. For some reason, instead of turning again and coming to a stop in the water, he kept going straight. Jairus slammed directly into the bank and smashed his arm against a small ledge of hard, eroded soil. The nine-year-old seriously injured his arm in the impact the humerus pierced the skin and blocked an artery. Without rapid medical intervention, Alan knew it was a very real possibility that young Jairus could lose his arm. Without that flight, the outcome could have been grim indeed. He was obviously in a great deal of pain, but it was only once we had made the 000 call and we were waiting that the emotion really started to kick in, Alan said. The Sunshine Coast-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter was urgently called in to airlift Jairus from the Imbil Showgrounds to Brisbane s Lady Cilento Children s Hospital. He would become LifeFlight s very first patient for The crew was marvellous. They were quick and efficient without being hurried, Alan said. Jairus was whisked away for immediate assessment in the Emergency Department. They found the inner layer of the artery had ruptured, creating a flap that blocked blood flow in his arm. Jairus underwent surgery to harvest a varicose vein from his leg to repair the ruptured artery in his arm. Thankfully, the procedure saved his arm and Jairus made a full recovery. Jairus and Alan recently took a rare behind-the-scenes tour of LifeFlight s Sunshine Coast hangar and personally thanked the rescue crew, including Pilot Brent Hall. We experienced wonderful care across the whole medical emergency system. Without that flight, the outcome could have been grim indeed. Thank you for the wonderful service you provide to our community. Nine-year-old Jairus came close to losing his arm after smashing it into hard, eroded soil. Jairus was being towed on a wakeboard behind a ski boat. Jairus made a full recovery and recently got a behind-thescenes hangar tour. 26 The crew made the airlift to Lady Cilento Children s Hospital.

27 LIFEFLIGHT COORDINATION CENTRE Report IN THE LAST 12 months the LifeFlight Coordination Centre (LCC) has continued its impressive track record, experiencing its busiest year in history. The centre coordinated 2,200 complex air-medical retrievals for LifeFlight s rotary and fixed wing aircraft during a 24/7, 365 days of the year operation. The team coordinates LifeFlight s fleet of RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopters and jets which provide a rapid response to calls for help locally, state-wide and internationally. In the year a team of 10 LifeFlight Coordination Centre operators managed a record 67,904 calls in and out of the centre an average of 186 calls per day. LifeFlight currently has nine community helicopters based in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Bundaberg and Mount Isa; with three commercial rotary aircraft in Roma, Toowoomba and until recently Gladstone. The RACQ LifeFlight Rescue fleet now consists of three AW139s; five B412s; two BK117s; one 109; one Bell 230; and one AS350 for training. Brisbane, Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast were the busiest bases comprising a total of 1,565 missions between them. Additionally three LifeFlight Air Ambulance jets operate from bases in Townsville and Brisbane, with a jet positioned in Singapore to service the needs of the Asia Pacific region. In the last year LCC has coordinated 245 Air Ambulance retrievals, 98 of them international tasks that required substantial logistical organisation between LCC operators, pilots and medical coordinators. In one mission, the Brisbane Lear jet flew 35 hours to repatriate a patient suffering life-threatening pneumonia and brain inflammation from Nairobi to Christchurch. This urgent air-medical retrieval required 10 stops for refuelling, flight and medical crew changeovers. This year, the LCC team also began to work more closely with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) to facilitate telehealth calls from the general public and health clinics (located in regional and remote Queensland) seeking over the phone medical advice. The role of the LCC operator is to connect the caller with a RFDS medical officer to ensure urgent and non-urgent care is made possible. In the future, LCC s operational control will be expanded, tracking the movements of RFDS aircraft across Queensland. With LifeFlight continuing to grow its critical care services in Australia and internationally, LCC s experienced aviation operations coordinators are dedicated more than ever to ensuring the organisation s community helicopters and jets are managed with precision 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 27

28 The Thales LifeFlight Reality H simulator is the showpiece at the new Aviation Australia facility. TRAINING ACADEMY Report FUTURISTIC-LOOKING object A that now rises out of the ground in the new Aviation Australia facility at Brisbane Airport allows pilots to train safely in high-risk mission scenarios in a range of weather conditions. The new Thales LifeFlight Reality H AW139 Flight Training Simulator is the jewel in the crown of the facility which provides life-saving training to hundreds of aviation professionals from around the world each year. The partnership between LifeFlight and Thales has ensured the development of the training simulator, the world s most advanced commercial helicopter simulator, as part of a special commercial relationship that works for the mutual benefit of both parties. The multi-million dollar Reality H AW139 Flight Training Simulator is engineered to ensure that trainee pilots have the skills and experience they need to perform vital rescue operations in all types of environments and weather conditions. LifeFlight s Head of Operations, Jeremy Ovens, was heavily involved in rigorous testing in France for the simulator and in ensuring the validity of this new high-tech piece of aviation equipment. The LifeFlight Training Academy (formerly known as HEMS) is the only AW139 training provider in Australia, and draws on more than 30 years of operational experience in air-medical rescue. The simulator has received Level D certification from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the first helicopter simulator to achieve this recognition in Australia. Level D is the highest level available under CASA regulations. The purpose-built $10 million Aviation Australia facility, located at Brisbane Airport, was completed in September 2016 and is being used exclusively for aviation training. With more than 657 external students trained in in nationally recognised courses, the relocation has been well-timed to enable LifeFlight to 28

29 LifeFlight s underwater training course was again one of the most well-attended in Brisbane Airport Corporation CEO Julieanne Alroe at the launch of the Aviation Australia facility. Aviation Australia CEO Bill Horrocks, Minister Yvette D Ath and LifeFlight Chairman Rob Borbidge. LifeFlight s Jeremy Ovens tested the simulator in France. LifeFlight staff maintain and advance their training skills. meet growing demand. The expanded training facilities enable LifeFlight to offer a comprehensive, full-service training facility which is capable of servicing the complete training requirements of both LifeFlight aviation personnel, and external aviation operators from within Australia and abroad. Available flight training courses on both the AW139 and Bell 412 aircraft include Night Vision Goggle (NVG) training, Aircrewman Instructor courses, and utility courses which include vessel transfers, search and rescue, night flying, wet-winching operation and more. LifeFlight s Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET) course has been one of the most well-attended and popular courses for many years and told a similar story. LifeFlight s team of trainers delivered courses from a specialised 15-metre deep indoor pool at the Brisbane facility, as well as a number of off-site training locations, with members of the Australian Defence Force attending for much of the year. LifeFlight is also committed to upskilling from within. During the past financial year, the Training Academy provided the organisation with the capability and resources for its own staff members to maintain or advance their skills and qualifications. The LifeFlight Training Academy trained 657 external students in nationally recognised courses. More than 200 of LifeFlight s own staff completed courses to maintain or advance skills and qualifications, including a total of 111 doctors, 34 pilots, 10 copilots, 24 flight nurses and eight paramedics. The Academy has provided Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET) to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for more than 10 years, training over 30,000 ADF personnel to the highest standard with a 100% safety record. 29

30 30 LifeFlight provides a blanket of care 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

31 LIFEFLIGHT RETRIEVAL MEDICINE Report LIFEFLIGHT RETRIEVAL MEDICINE (LRM) has been in operation since 2001 and is a labourhire charitable business that provides medical, nursing and paramedic personnel to LifeFlight and other airmedical operators. In Queensland, this service is provided via Queensland Health to LifeFlight in Toowoomba, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast; to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) in Brisbane, Rockhampton and Townsville; CQ Rescue in Mackay; Capricorn Rescue in Rockhampton; and QGAir in Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane. LRM also provides services to internal commercial clients at LifeFlight bases in Roma and Toowoomba and our Air Ambulance jets based in Townsville, Brisbane and Singapore. On any given day, LRM fills 16 daily retrieval doctor rosters, two daily health medical coordination rosters, one daily LCC duty medical coordinator roster, two daily paramedic rosters and four daily nursing rosters, as well as supplying equipment management nurses at seven locations. This demanding schedule is all in aid of achieving 24/7 clinical coverage across 10 retrieval bases, with reach to anywhere in Queensland and interstate or internationally as required. In , key initiatives achieved by LRM included treating and transporting more than 4,700 patients on board the various aero-medical operators across the state; a significant increase of more than 700 additional patients than the previous financial year. This year, LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine treated and transported more than 4,700 patients. It has been 12 months since rotary wing flight nurses became active from the Brisbane Base in July 2015 and their contribution to the medical model has been a great success. Proof of this was Nurse Manager Michelle Black s well-deserved award at the 2016 Flight Nurse Association Conference. The service also enjoyed an increasingly more diverse international recruitment base for overseas doctors this year. In August 2016, 22 doctors from all over the world travelled to work for LifeFlight due to its highly respected international profile. Doctors came from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Singapore, USA, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands with six recruits from within Australia. Irish doctor Matthew Mulkeen was one of the recruits who received international recognition and attention after starring in a reality documentary about Irish people working in Australia. The Sunshine Coast-based doctor was shadowed by an Irish television crew for two days in May 2016 as they filmed the rescue of Matthew s 100th LifeFlight patient, a special achievement given he only arrived in Australia 10 months prior with wife Marijana and daughter Alexandra. A cameraman and GoPro cameras on board the Sunshine Coast-based BK117 helicopter captured Dr Mulkeen in action during rescue missions, with a crew on the ground recording his home life at Peregian Springs on the Sunshine Coast. The documentary went to air in Ireland in September. It was the second time this financial year that LifeFlight s Sunshine Coast base was featured in an international TV documentary. A TV series called Medecines d Ailleurs (Medicine From Around The World) aired in France in March 2016 after being filmed the previous year. LifeFlight doctors, in addition to their frontline roles, also staff a 24-hour telemedicine advisory service (TMAS) which LifeFlight provides within LCC on behalf of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). TMAS uses communication technology to connect to any Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) class ships in any ocean around the world as well as vessels within the Australian search and rescue region. Looking forward, the long-term goals for LRM include securing future tenders, supporting growth of LifeFlight s internal customers and creating a LifeFlight Asia Pacific AME education and training partnership over the next several years. 31

32 COMMERCIAL PARTNERS Report LIFEFLIGHT CONTINUED ITS valued service to the remote communities in the Surat Basin and Gladstone with the support of Queensland s CSG-LNG operators Arrow Energy, Origin, QGC and Santos. The success of the Surat Gas Aero- Medical Service (SGAS), which was established in April 2011, is thanks to these consortiums, who have forged a strong relationship with LifeFlight built on mutual respect and understanding of the commercial expectations of the service. For the past five years, two medicallyconfigured Bell 412 helicopters based at Roma and Toowoomba have covered a vast area of operations of approximately 270,000 square kilometres. This financial year, a total of 68 ill and injured patients were airlifted on board the SGAS helicopters. The crews spent 193 hours in the air during these lifesaving retrievals. Of these missions, an incredible 61% were neonatal transfers of severely unwell babies. LifeFlight s medical crews were primarily tasked to incidents varying from serious car and motorbike crashes to industrial and farming accidents and injuries involving animals. The remoteness of the location creates additional urgency as the acuity of injuries found in these patients is often life-threatening and the difference between life and death can be measured in minutes. The Curtis Island Rotary Wing Aeromedical Evacuation (CIRWAME) service s Bell 412 helicopter, based at Gladstone, facilitated 23 missions this financial year and contributed to the welfare of more than 5,000 employees working on the Curtis Island project. This operation has supported the greater Capricorn area for the past three years. In September 2016, the CIRWAME contract ended. An extensive 68 ill and injured patients were airlifted on board SGAS helicopters. demobilisation program was carried out enabling the orderly redistribution of company assets and the return of various leased premises as dictated by LifeFlight s departure from Gladstone. Many operational crew stayed on to service the SGAS contract and other staff were relocated where possible. Throughout its three years of dedicated service, the CIRWAME operation airlifted a total of 162 patients and provided priceless peace of mind to oil and gas workers in the region as well as the wider community. SGAS will continue to provide this medical service and coverage in the Surat Basin region until This key partnership and profit for purpose initiative gives LifeFlight revenue to ensure all fundraising and sponsorship money it receives goes directly into the charitable operation. LifeFlight is proud of the vital role these commercial partnerships play in keeping its aircraft flying across Queensland and beyond. Thanks to Arrow Energy, Origin, QGC and Santos for their valued partnership again in Bell 412 helicopters covered an area of operation of approx 270,000 sq km. SGAS will continue to cover the Surat Basin region until

33 ENGINEERING Report LIFEFLIGHT S FRONTLINE CREWS are able to conduct their lifesaving work thanks to the in-house engineering team who work around the clock to keep the organisation s fleet of 16 aircraft in the air with minimal downtime. The team delivered a number of significant projects that directly enhanced the service s provision of airmedical care throughout Queensland and kept our choppers in the sky. Most notably, the team managed the delivery and assembly of the service s third AgustaWestland 139 (AW139) helicopter (VH-XIL) in June at Archerfield. A team of four LifeFlight engineers worked eight hours a day for 14 days on the AW139, the only operator in Australia to ever reassemble their own aircraft. Executive Manager Engineering Mick Richmond and the team then oversaw and project managed the full Emergency Medical Services (EMS) installations of all three AW139 aircraft through local aviation company HeliMods on the Sunshine Coast, valued at more than $1.8m per aircraft. Some of the unique features designed into the EMS configuration included dual airways access for two patients simultaneously, a dedicated EMS power and gas distribution system to supply critical life support and sophisticated monitoring equipment for complex cases. The EMS fit-out makes LifeFlight s AW139 fleet among the most advanced multi-role aircraft in operation anywhere in the world, Mr Richmond said. Our team can be very proud of their efforts in the management of this EMS installation project in 2016 and the lives they will indirectly help to save for decades to come. The EMS fit-out of the AW139s was funded primarily from generous community support as part of the yearlong fundraising campaign, Project Medi-Ready. Other major engineering works for included services on the two operational AW139 helicopters, after a busy Christmas period. The team also spent time training several engineers on the new AW139 aircraft and Lear 45 aircraft in Malaysia and the USA and oversaw the demobilisation of the Gladstone base after three years of service delivery to Curtis Island and surrounding areas. They also oversaw the installation of an overhead crane at Archerfield which greatly enhanced the team s ability to complete complex heavy maintenance to schedule. LifeFlight s engineering base moved to Archerfield Airport 18 months ago. There is 33 staff in the company s Airworthiness and Engineering Group, including 23 engineers. In , LifeFlight s engineers performed 23,019 hours of scheduled and unscheduled aircraft maintenance. Major and significant services were performed on: AW139 XIJ and XIH; Bell 412 XCI and XCN; BK117 EHQ and AS350 XCE. 33

34 CORPORATE Governance COMPLIANCE & Safety LIFEFLIGHT REMAINS COMMITTED at all times to strong and strategic corporate governance, which is vital to the ongoing viability of the organisation and its service to the community. Governance mechanisms include monitoring the actions, policies, practices and decisions of LifeFlight on behalf of patients, community and corporate donors and affected stakeholders. The LifeFlight Board meets every month. The Finance and Quality and Safety Committees meet on a regular basis to review and discuss the organisation s financial, safety and corporate governance responsibilities, and reports back to the Board of Directors. As always, LifeFlight s Board members offer their knowledge and guidance without remuneration. Good corporate governance is a fundamental part of the culture and business practices of LifeFlight and remains essential to our ongoing success. FINANCE BOARD SUB-COMMITTEE Allan Godbee, Committee Chairman Colin Archer, LifeFlight Australia Limited Director Andrew Warton, General Manager - Finance & Shared Services Ashley van de Velde, CEO Trevor Toner, External Committee Member Maxwell Whitford, External Committee Member QUALITY & SAFETY BOARD SUB-COMMITTEE David Donaldson, Committee Chairman & Director, Strategyand Partnerships Ashley van de Velde, CEO Peter Elliott, General Manager Air Ambulance Scott Hayden, General Manager Commercial Projects Unit Peter Pearce, General Manager LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine John Sjostedt, HAAMC Michael Richmond, Engineering Manager Brian Guthrie, Chief Operating Officer Brendan Turgiev, LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine Manager Paul McHugh, External Committee Member Paul Forcier, Chief Pilot Rotary Wing Paul Regli, Chief Pilot Fixed Wing LIFEFLIGHT S INTERNAL INTEGRATED Risk Management department works diligently to cultivate a safe workplace through a rigorous and comprehensive safety management system incorporating the ISO 9001:2008 accreditation. The department oversees internal and external audits on an annual or biannual basis to ensure compliance with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the Aviation Security Authority and an internationally recognised standard of quality assurance. These audits are conducted by numerous external authorities in the areas of finance, aviation, medical, quality assurance, and risk and safety, to maintain the highest industry standards. Air-medical retrieval by nature is an uncertain operation. As LifeFlight s workforce expands, the Integrated Risk Management department has ensured operational crew and patient safety is maintained at all times on the frontline. At a corporate level, individual staff regularly partake in safe workplace practices including safety briefings, fire drills and regular health and safety tips through LifeFlight s internal newsletter Airspace a new initiative between the department and Human Resources for ACCREDITATIONS 1) Registered Charity #1179 2) ISO 9001:2008 Quality Assured Certificate Number QEC ) Registered Training Organisation #2762 4) Accredited teaching facility with three Critical Care Colleges: Australasian College for Emergency Medicine Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine 5) Accredited teaching facility for James Cook University 6) Holder of Fixed and Rotary Wing Air Operators Certificates: Fixed Wing #1-3XF48-06 Rotary Wing #SQ ) Certificate of Approval (C of A) as an Accredited Maintenance Facility for Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing 8) CAR217 Fixed and Rotary Wing (CASA Approval for internal check and training) 9) CASR 141/142 for the conduct of AW139 type ratings and simulator flight training 10) LifeFlight has a dedicated risk and safety management team for constant management and monitoring of operations 11) CRICOS (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students) approval for the provision of training to international students - CRICOS #03103B 12) Organisational Member, Fundraising Institute of Australia 34

35 The isolated location of the patient meant that a winch rescue was the only option. DRAMATIC WINCH RESCUE in national park 10 KILOMETRE run for help from A a loving son to raise the alarm after his mother lost consciousness while out hiking and a dramatic winch rescue into an isolated national park made for an amazing survival story. A South Burnett woman was airlifted from a remote creek bed in Central Queensland s Carnarvon Gorge after she became ill and required urgent medical care. The woman, in her mid-70s, was hiking through the picturesque national park with her family when she suddenly felt faint and lost consciousness. Her son ran 10km along a bush track to a ranger station and raised the alarm, before returning to his mother with help. LifeFlight s Roma-based Surat Gas Aero-Medical Service (SGAS) helicopter was tasked with recovering the woman safely. LifeFlight Roma Base Manager and Winch Operator, Bryce Duke, said the isolated location of the patient and the sheer cliffs that surrounded the site meant that landing the helicopter was not an option and a winch rescue was the only possibility. It was an incredibly tight spot and we were getting a lot of wind through the gorge and off the canyon walls, said Bryce. The trees below meant that we couldn t get any lower, so we made the decision to winch from a significant height. A LifeFlight Critical Care Doctor and Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) Flight Paramedic were winched down to the site and were able to stabilise the woman for transport, before winching her back up into the helicopter on a stretcher. Because of the nature of the job, we were working at maximum cable extension for the winch it took approximately 2½ minutes for us to winch the medical team down and about the same to bring the patient back up into the helicopter, said Bryce. The entire family were entirely grateful for us arriving I think they were dreading the prospect of carrying the lady out on foot for 10 km. 35

36 FINANCIALS REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR ON THE SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO THE MEMBERS OF LIFEFLIGHT AUSTRALIA LIMITED The accompanying summary financial statements, which comprises the consolidated statement of financial position as at 30 June 2016, and the consolidated income statement for the year then ended, are derived from the audited financial report of LifeFlight Australia Limited for the year ended 30 June We expressed an unmodified audit opinion on that financial report in our report dated 21 October That financial report and the summary financial statements do not reflect the effects of events that occurred subsequent to the date of our report on that financial report. The summary financial statements do not contain all the disclosures required by Australian Accounting Standards. Reading the summary financial statements, therefore, is not a substitute for reading the audited financial report of LifeFlight Australia Limited. MANAGEMENT S RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Management is responsible for the preparation of a summary of the audited financial report based on the audited financial report. AUDITOR S RESPONSIBILITY Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the summary financial statements based on our procedures, which were conducted in accordance with Auditing Standard ASA810 Engagements to Report on Summary Financial Statements. OPINION In our opinion, the summary financial statements derived from the audited financial report of LifeFlight Australia Limited for the year ended 30 June 2016 are a fair summary of that audited financial report. UHY HAINES NORTON Brisbane, 8 November 2016 DARREN LAARHOVEN Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT (For the Year Ended 30 June 2016) REVENUE Government funding 20,695,016 31,572,692 Fundraising and Sponsorship 9,377,280 8,109,301 Call Centre (includes merchandise) 2,332,736 2,342,525 Training 2,293,331 2,472,129 Medical and Commercial AME 38,826,931 22,377,044 Other revenue 1,363, ,626 Total revenue from operating activities 74,888,876 67,585,317 EXPENSES 2016 $ 2016 $ 2015 $ Helicopter operations - community (23,645,269) (19,837,333) Finance costs (2,846,175) (2,137,167) Fundraising and Sponsorship (1,400,320) (1,405,607) Call Centre (includes merchandise) (1,697,973) (1,653,921) Training (2,802,079) (2,885,760) Shared Services and other (6,714,786) (5,723,212) Medical and Commercial AME (34,930,922) (32,765,890) Share of net (loss)/profit of associates and joint ventures 9,816 (21,492) Surplus from operating activities 861,168 1,154,935 Net gain on financial instruments at fair value through profit or loss 81,759 2,703,482 Surplus for the year 942,927 3,858,417 Other comprehensive income for the year Total comprehensive income for the year 942,927 3,858,417 Surplus attributable to: Members of the parent entity 942,927 3,858,417 Total comprehensive income attributable to: Members of the parent entity 942,927 3,858,417 36

37 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION (As at 30 June 2016) 2016 $ 2015 $ ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents 9,496,219 10,144,219 Trade and other receivables 7,889,049 7,525,560 Inventories 386, ,926 Other financial assets 3,468,559 Other assets 436, ,857 Non-current assets held for sale 524,124 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 18,208,130 22,636,245 NON-CURRENT ASSETS Trade and other receivables 502,966 50,000 Property, plant and equipment 76,313,263 63,668,722 Intangible assets 155, ,306 Investments accounted for using the equity method 1,312,199 1,302,383 TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS 78,283,525 65,236,411 TOTAL ASSETS 96,491,655 87,872,656 LIABILITIES CURRENT LIABILITIES Trade and other payables 8,258,713 11,059,983 Financial liabilities 10,101,160 6,731,077 Provisions 3,714,785 3,483,282 Other financial liabilities 765,077 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 22,074,658 22,039,419 NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES Trade and other payables 46,537 46,537 Financial liabilities 47,385,161 39,807,491 Provisions 542, ,957 Other liabilities 3,504,648 3,461,091 Total non-current liabilities 51,478,909 43,838,076 TOTAL LIABILITIES 73,553,567 65,877,495 NET ASSETS 22,938,088 21,995,161 EQUITY Accumulated surplus 22,938,088 21,995,161 TOTAL EQUITY 22,938,088 21,995,161 These summary financial statements have been derived from LifeFlight Australia Limited s annual Financial Report. The summary financial statements do not contain all the disclosures required by Australian Accounting Standards. Reading the summary financial statements, therefore, is not a substitute for reading the audited financial report of LifeFlight Australia Limited. 37

38 Our SPONSORS We acknowledge the contributions of corporations, businesses,councils and individuals who have supported LifeFlight in Their generosity ensures the continuation of our lifesaving service and we thank them for their support and assistance. NAMING RIGHTS CORPORATE PARTNERS Clive BERGHOFER GROUP BUSINESS PARTNERS 38

39 COUNCIL SUPPORTERS MEDIA SUPPORTERS BEQUESTS Grants & Trusts MAJOR DONORS LifeFlight would like to thank and acknowledge the generosity of our Golden Hour Circle members and our Silver Star members. The support that you have shown through your donations to special projects and your pledges of future support to our lifesaving services, are greatly appreciated. BEQUESTS Estate of the Late Doris Joan Walker Estate of the Late Edward John Millard Estate of the Late JE Simon Estate of the Late Veronica Ann Scott-Mason Estate of the Late Betty Edyth Annie Nichols Estate of the Late Elaine Phillips Estate of the Late James Theolga Estate of the Late Michael John Howlett Estate of the Late Maxwell Godfrey Farish Estate of the Late Phyllis Jean Cartmill Estate of the Late Ronald Leslie Schadwell GRANTS, TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS Hervey Bay RSL Community Enterprise Foundation Evolution Mining Mt Rawdon Flannery Foundation Count Charitable Foundation Buderim Foundation Evolution Mining Mt Rawdon Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia Gambling Community Benefit Fund Queensland Community Foundation Sandfire Resources Mary Beatrice Day Trust Fund Edward James Rowe Trust St John s Grace Fund Ltd 39

40 CONTACT US HEAD OFFICE Level 1, 160 Robina Town Centre Dr Robina QLD 4226 CONNECT WITH US CORPORATE OFFICE Level 34, 32 Turbot Street Brisbane QLD 4000 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 5078 Robina Town Centre QLD 4230 PO Box George Street Brisbane QLD 4003 Ph: Fax: E: /LifeFlightOfficial /RACQ_LifeFlight lifeflight-australia /lifeflight_au c/lifeflight_au lifeflight.org.au 40