Reflections supports life-changing helicopter service

Reflections Rescue Month is raising funds in January supporting the Northern NSW Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, truly understanding the value of the Service after it came to the rescue of one of its park managers.

The Crown Land Manager and certified social enterprise, which reinvests profits back into the 39 properties and 45 nature reserves it cares for on behalf of the NSW public, has set an ambitious fundraising goal of $60,000 for the Service during the month of January.

Reflections Jimmys Beach Reflections Park Manager Peter Creigh will forever be grateful to the Service after a bushwalking trip with his wife, Kim, in Warrumbungle National Park, in central-west NSW, took a terrifying turn in 2019.

“It was a clear, sunny day and everything was going fine until about two hours into the walk I started to feel unwell,” recalls Peter, who had open heart surgery a year earlier.

“My vision went all white and Kim sat me down and I was starting to shake. The thought did cross my mind that we may have been stuck there and I told her to call for help.”

Kim advised emergency services of her location and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched from its base at Belmont, Lake Macquarie.

“She turned on her emergency locator on her phone so they were able to pinpoint where we were, and she rolled out a foil blanket so it had the reflection to help get the precise location on us,” Peter says, praising Kim for her calm action.

“I seriously thought my heart was about to give way. All I wanted to do was close my eyes and to hear the chopper, I knew I was going to be alright.”

Peter was winched into the aircraft and taken to John Hunter Hospital where he received treatment for a severe viral infection and dehydration.

Reflections is supporting the Service in the month of January by donating $1 from every new booking to its operations. In addition, all Reflections parks are having a friendly competition to raise the highest amount of funds via raffles and events.

Reflections guests will be able to scan a QR code and donate to the Service and Reflections parks are also engaging local community groups to get on board with the fund-raising efforts.

Reflections Chief Executive Officer Nick Baker said it was important for the leading holiday park group to support the vital and wide-ranging operations of the Service, and also encourage the communities it operates in to join in the fundraising.

“The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is a life-saving organisation that is expensive to operate because of its logistical footprint and yet without it the communities that Reflections operates in would suffer enormously in emergency situations,” Mr Baker said.

Peter Creigh is also encouraging his community to recognise the vital role the Service plays. “I’d ask everyone to do what they can and support where they are able to and let’s keep this Service in the air,’ he says.

If you’d like to get involved with Rescue Month, click here.