Proposal for LNG-Funded Medical Evacuation Helicopter at Gladstone Airport

News recently that LNG proponents on Curtis Island - Santos GLNG, Australia Pacific LNG, QGC and Arrow - have joined to fund an aero medical evacuation (AME) retrieval service (also known as a 'helicopter') for the Gladstone region to help ease pressures on the local medical retrieval services.

The LNG industry has provided $30 million funding towards the new rescue chopper which will be based at Gladstone Airport and available for use by industry workers on Curtis Island and also the community through the emergency services Triple Zero number.

The LNG industry has partnered with CareFlight Queensland - an aero-medical service provider with 35 years' experience in medical retrievals in Queensland communities.  CareFlight Queensland also meets the global oil and gas industry safety standards.

The Rockhampton Airport-based Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service (CHRS) has welcomed the announcement of a dedicated rescue helicopter to service the workers of the LNG projects on Curtis Island.

CHRS will still provide the rescue helicopter services to the people of Gladstone and surrounding districts as they have done for the last 16 years - there will be no change to the services provided to the people of Gladstone.

It is planned that the service will officially start operating in the new year.