Survivors and their families have reunited with the crews from Canterbury’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter who saved them at a Christmas party yesterday.
Crew Chief Rick Knight first met Scott Bamford at a serious crash scene in North Canterbury on Christmas Eve two years ago.
Mr Bamford said he broke his pelvis completely and had a ruptured lung, broken ribs and multiple other things.
Mr Knight said on arrival he assumed they were dealing with a fatality: "The way he was positioned in the cab, another six inches and he wouldn’t be here today."
Mr Bamford said he feels lucky every day he lives on this planet.
The Air Rescue Trust runs two Rescue Helicopters, they and the New Zealand Flying Doctors plane deal with around 2,000 call-outs every year in Canterbury and on The West Coast.
However, saving lives doesn't come cheap.
It costs around $14 million a year to keep the service running, half of that comes from the government but the rest comes from constant fundraising, relying on sponsors and the community to keep them in the air.
Mr Bamford was so grateful for his rescue, he launched a fundraiser to help support the service that saved him.
Mr Knight said it pulls on his heartstrings: "It makes you appreciate what the service provides".
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