One of the busiest rescue helicopters services in the country has taken a massive funding hit and is scrambling to find sponsors to stay in the air.
The Northland Rescue Helicopter has carried out more than 500 rescue missions this year - helping an average of three people every day, but now it's in need of help.
“Covid-19 has put a spanner in the works for quite a few fundraisers we were going to have out here in the community,” Northland Rescue Helicopter general manager Vanessa Furze told 1 NEWS.
“We have lost a very big corporate sponsor and another sponsor that was coming on board has also pulled out.”
The Northland Rescue Helicopter costs $5000 dollars an hour to run but it's only 75 per cent Government-funded.
The remaining money comes from the community and this year its facing a $2 million shortfall.
“We couldn't offer a 24-hour service, we’d have to cut back,” Ms Furze said.
The rescue service is now hoping others will answer their SOS so it can keep saving lives.
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