Our Trust
The Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST) is a charitable trust established to provide a dedicated rescue helicopter service for the people in Northland. The Trust is supported by the generous contributions made by local Sponsors, individuals, families, businesses and organisations.
A Board of Trustees governs The Northland Emergency Services Trust and oversees the strategic direction and management.
All NEST's Trustees are Northlanders, with personal experience of the unsealed roads, changeable weather and widely dispersed populace, and are aware of the high morbidity and trauma pathology-factors which combine to render the use of a rescue helicopter essential.
Our Trustees
- John Bain, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
- Paul Ahlers, Deputy Chairman, Insurance Broker
- Dr Tom Riddell, Anaestetist - Intensivist, Northland Health
- Mike Rusbatch, Superintendent, Northland Police
- David Keys, Rural Representative appointed by the Northland Regional Council
- Colin Johnstone, Whangarei Businessman
- George Swanepoel, Solicitor
- Karen Roach, Chief Executive Officer, Northland Health
- Murray Webster, Accountant
Chairman's Report
The past financial year has been the busiest in our 23 years of operation. We have been fortunate to be able to transport those shown have needed our service in all weather and 24/7.
The maintenance program has become a major part of our planning as we now have 3 periods of 6-7 weeks where each helicopter is put through rigorous checks and parts replacement program. This reflects our workload and the international rules to which all helicopter operators must adhere.
The financial result which is shown, is audited at the end of March and shows income from our busiest time and reflects the debt repayments but not the costs of inspection which take place in the months of June to November. These checks deplete our cash and keep accounting staff on their toes to ensure we have enough cash to pay for the known and unknown parts replacement when the engineers get into the work.
The financial position has been satisfactory but only shows a cash surplus of $230,000, the cost of one and a half rotor blades, we continue to repay loans and will attempt to establish a helicopter replacement fund of some relevance.
One can read seperate lines of the report, however, the cash in the bank is the most important line to remain solvent. Over time this is to provide and plan for NEST into the future and provide Northland with air ambulance service.
The model of helicopter we operate will remain in service for many years however, the upgrades to current levels is the critical component of that life. We are committed to maintaining that standard into the foreseeable future. Over the last 23 years we have carried 1 in 19 of Northland's population and, annually we carry 1-400 to hospital or places of safety.
I thank all the trustees, pilots office staff, ambulance officers, ICU and hospital staff, police and fireman who during the year help and assist the day to day operations. A special thanks to the Oxford Sports Trust for their support over the last 12 months. The sponsors, Northpower and Top Energy and all those who support us with donations and contributions, we again recognise the importance of the money provided to keep us saving the lives we do.