NRMA Careflight - receives CYCA SOLAS donation

by Jennifer Crooks on 4 Jun 2008
NRMA Careflight (NSW) is the latest recipient of a donation from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Safety of Life at Sea Trusts (SOLAS). NRMA Careflight (NSW) has now received a total of $39,000 from SOLAS.

A cheque for $9,000 was donated to NRMA Careflight (NSW) for the purchase of three new night visions goggle helmets (NVG). These night vision goggles helmets will enable Careflight to perform medical rescues at night or in low light conditions. NRMA Careflight is the first non-military rescue helicopter service (on the east coast of Australia) to use the Night vision goggles helmets. These helmets were used to help locate wreckage from a missing freight aircraft which crashed after taking off from Sydney airport recently.

The Night Vision Goggle Helmets will be an integral part of the Careflight operations as they improve response time and increase safety levels whilst flying at night. Each helmet is fitted with an individual communications earplug for each ear (negating the need for a built in speaker), and uses noise reduction technology.

NRMA Careflight is a not-for-profit medical organisation that provides one of the world’s most advanced and medically proficient rapid-response emergency medical retrieval services. Since its operation began in 1986, Careflight has assisted over 15,000 patients.

In making this donation, CYCA SOLAS Trusts Chairman, Matt Allen said 'We are pleased that the CYCA SOLAS Trusts can continue to support the vital Careflight operations. The night vision goggle helmets are state of the art technology that now provide the ability of the flight crew to perform search and rescues at night or in low light conditions. During a test demonstration at Careflight’s headquarters, I experienced just how useful this equipment is – to be able to see the night transformed into day is truly amazing. There will be many people who’s lives will be saved as a result of this wonderful technology.'

'SOLAS continues to actively contribute to key emergency medical services and search & rescue organizations. Due to the nature of ocean racing and other outdoor recreational activities, our emergency medical services are vital in saving lives,' added Matt Allen.

NRMA Careflight (NSW) Relationship Manager, Trent Osborn said 'We are grateful for the generous support that that the CYCA Solas Trusts continues to give us. This latest gift is of enormous benefit to us at CareFlight in our continued mission of saving lives, as it allows us to perform night time missions which would have previously been impossible.'

One of the CYCA’s SOLAS Trusts objectives is to assist search and rescue organisations Australia wide. In the nine years since it was established, in excess of $430,000 has been donated to 15 organisations in every Australian state as well as the ACT. This is the eighth NSW donation. Other NSW organisations to benefit from CYCA SOLAS Trusts donations are Snowy Hydro SouthCare Aero Medical and Rescue Helicopter Service, Volunteer Coast Guard Bermagui, Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol Sydney & Tuggerah Lakes Divisions, Volunteer Rescue Association Nambucca Heads, St. Vincent's Hospital, and RVCP Eden Division.


About CYCA Sydney Hobart Yacht Race SOLAS Trusts
CYCA Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Safety of Life at Sea Trusts (SOLAS) was set up as a charitable trust in 1999 as a result of the tragic events of the 1998 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The CYCA SOLAS Trusts objectives are to:
· Provide assistance (financial and other) to immediate families of those lost at sea during Australian Yachting Federation sanctioned races
· Make donations and provide support to search and rescue organisations
· Foster and fund research and training to improve safety and rescue procedures and equipment used in ocean races.
To make a donation to SOLAS please log on to www.cyca.com.au, go to ‘About us’ and then click on CYCA Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Safety of Life as Sea Trusts link.

About the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is Australia’s premier yacht club and home of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The CYCA was established in 1944 and over the years has become Australia’s leading exponent of ocean racing and sea safety. Its race management expertise is often called upon for other international sailing events such as the Olympics and round-the-world races. Nestled along the beautiful Rushcutters Bay foreshore, the club enjoys stunning harbour views and world-class facilities and offers its 2,700 plus members and many visitors plenty of excuses to visit regularly. The CYCA caters for the most passionate ocean racer to the social sailor with a full calendar of mid-week summer twilight and weekend offshore racing and Sunday winter racing. The CYCA also runs a world-class Youth Sailing Academy which caters for those learning to sail through to advance courses, and international match racing.