Reflections Holiday Parks Partners with Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service to Highlight Water Safety

Reflections Holiday Parks has recently launched a three-year partnership with Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service to emphasise the importance of safety around waterways in an effort to keep communities throughout Northern NSW safe.

As part of the launch (held at Reflections Holiday Park, Seal Rocks), guests and students from Bungwahl Public School were treated to a water safety and helicopter awareness training session run by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

“Our coastal parks and many of our inland parks are positioned right on the surf, dams, or lakes so we couldn’t be more pleased to support this dedicated team of rescue and medical professionals including pilots, crew members, doctors, and paramedics on standby 24/7 should there be an emergency,” he said.

As part of the partnership, water and coastal safety will be highlighted to guests across the group of Reflections Holiday Parks via educational materials supplied across all cabins, camp kitchens, and reception areas.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service CEO Richard Jones OAM has thanked Reflections Holiday Parks for supporting the Community’s Own Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

“In 2020/21 in over 1400 missions our crews attended nearly 400 accidents on our roads…but we also conducted over 100 water-based missions in and around waterways,” Mr. Jones said.

“So, anything we can do to educate holidaymakers about safety in and around the water will hopefully keep families safe when they are visiting coastal communities.”

Reflections Seal Rocks Manager Katie Toney said part of the charm of Seal Rocks was its isolation, but this comes with challenges if an emergency were to arise.

“Our guests at Reflections and the wider Seal Rocks community can feel safe in the knowledge that the Westpac Helicopter is ready to respond should there be an emergency,” she said.

“We’re incredibly well resourced for emergencies at our park office but knowing the Westpac helicopter can land nearby if the worst should happen provides another level of safety for our guests and the Seal Rocks community. Last month the Westpac helicopter came to the aid of a hiker who had been bitten by a Death Adder Snake. We are pretty remote here, so there is a definite need for this service.”