$16.2m spent saving Toowoomba residents from 650 critical missions around the region

Tens of millions of dollars have been spent saving Toowoomba locals from more than 600 critical missions in 2020 – and nearly all of them were avoidable.

The Toowoomba-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter has flown a man to hospital, after he was seriously injured in a truck rollover, in the Western Downs this morning

Tens of millions of dollars were spent saving the lives of Toowoomba locals last year.

The Toowoomba-based RACQ LifeFlight crews conducted 650 critical rescue missions in 2020, many of which were car crashes, and costed LifeFlight crews $16.2 million.

That is, on average, two motor vehicle incidents per week so serious that they all required aeromedical rescue.

Helicopter operations director Brian Guthrie said 2020 was a tumultuous year for LifeFlight crews, who saw the brunt of hundreds of deadly crashes around the region.

“The service RACQ LifeFlight Rescue provides, in Queensland, is second-to-none,” he said.

“While 2020 wasn’t our busiest year overall, for our RACQ LifeFlight Rescue choppers, we’re really proud of our performance, over the past 12 months.

“Nearly 2000 lives were saved, by our rotary aircraft across Queensland, because RACQ LifeFlight Rescue crews were able to quickly respond.”

The top five Toowoomba call-outs, according to illness and injury:

– Motor vehicle accidents (91)

– Cardiac (65)

– Serious illnesses/infections (62)

– Neurological conditions (46)

– Falls (including bushwalking/hiking, domestic and elderly) (41)

Last year RACQ LifeFlight Rescue staff, including aircrew, medical, engineering and fundraising, had to quickly adopt new procedures, as a result of the pandemic, while still providing the essential aeromedical service without interruption.

The organisation also introduced full body gowns, goggles and boots, face masks and head protection.

“To keep our crew and patients safe, throughout the pandemic, our engineering staff worked hard to modify the aircraft; to provide barriers between the front and back of the cabin, ultimately, to keep responding to Queenslanders throughout,” Mr Guthrie said.

Despite the challenges, the Toowoomba crews completed multiple missions, of note, including responding to three separate crashes on Christmas Day and the rescue of a man, who’d spent a night on Mt Superbus, earlier in December.