LifeFlight Toowoomba leads the way with the region receiving the most call outs in the network

Every hour a LifeFlight rescue helicopter receives a call for help, with the not-for-profit reaching a milestone in 2025.

One of Queensland’s vital rescue services has held the hands of almost 1000 Darling Downs and South West residents in their time of need over the past 12-months.

The Toowoomba and Roma based LifeFlight rescue crews have flown 994 people to hospital, including 30 with serious burns, stranded hikers, injured motorists and those injured by animals.

A milestone was marked for the charity organisation, having seen a 3.9 per cent increase in rescues from 2024 and the highest record since its conception.

In February the Roma-based LifeFlight Surat Gas Aeromedical Service (SGAS) aeromedical crew flown a man to hospital following a water truck rollover. Photo: Lifeflight

LifeFlight chief operating officer Lee Schofield said the Toowoomba base has continually proven its worth as the busiest in the network.

“The data shows how much of a workhorse Toowoomba and Roma are, especially in terms of airlifting patients from regional medical facilities to major hospitals, which is vitally important work,” he said.

“Every hour we are called upon to airlift Queenslanders in distress, whether it’s hikers stranded on mountaintops, capsized boaties miles from land, or people needing urgent medical attention in major hospitals.

“It’s a mission our aeromedical crews carry out with great dedication with the goal of bringing equity in healthcare no matter where or when people need us.”

Data has revealed animal related incidents to be among the not-for-profit’s highest call outs, with an incident back in September involving an elderly woman who fell from a horse, a horse trampling in January and a motorcyclist who collided with a sheep in May.

Stranded hikers also ranked high on the list, including the rescue of a man in his 70s who was winched off Main Range National Park and a second man in the Scenic Rim who alerted emergency services by setting off his personal distress beacon.

The Toowoomba crew winched an injured hiker, who activated a personal distress beacon after he hurt his ankle, off a mountain in the Scenic Rim region in April, 2024. Photo: LifeFlight

Medical director doctor Jeff Hooper said the extent of rescues performed by crews was a testament to the capability of aeromedical crews ability to perform complex procedures in intensive environments.

“Our aeromedical teams provide advanced care under extremely challenging circumstances, whether that is treating patients on scene after serious car crashes, stabilising patients mid-air, rescuing people stranded in the ocean, or winching down a paramedic to hikers stranded on the side of a cliff face,” he said.

“This rapid aeromedical intervention is often the difference between life and death and comes after our crews undertake intensive training at the LifeFlight Training Academy, which prepares them for any situation they may face in the field.”

Dr Hooper said a key part of LifeFlight’s mission was developing and delivering First Minutes Matter emergency trauma training workshops.

“This incredible initiative helps to build community resilience by giving participants the practical skills to manage life-threatening events such as motor vehicle accidents, farming incidents, stroke and snake bites.”

A new AW139 helicopter began servicing the Darling Downs in December, with a recent upgrade given to the Roma Visitor Experience Centre.

Planning is also underway for a new centre in Toowoomba, the LifeFlight Clive Berghofer Visitor Experience and Education Centre.