AGL Action Rescue shares new look with community 

14 April 2009

AGL Energy Ltd (AGL), Australia’s largest integrated renewable energy company, today officially launched its sponsorship of the AGL Action Rescue helicopters in south east Queensland.

The helicopters received a face lift during the past two weeks after AGL became the new naming sponsor on April 1.

At a special community event, members of the public were given the opportunity today to see the AGL Action Rescue helicopters up close and to meet the rescue teams.
  
AGL Retail Sales and Marketing General Manager David Hamilton, said today’s community picnic at Cotton Tree Park was a double celebration for the Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue Service which this year celebrates its 30 year anniversary.

“We are celebrating the past and the future by acknowledging the long history of the service and its new beginnings as AGL Action Rescue,” Mr Hamilton said.

“Our sponsorship has secured the ongoing operations of the rescue service which undertakes critical rescue, medical and search missions throughout south east Queensland.”

The helicopters’ striking new AGL blue and orange livery are quickly becoming synonymous with trust, action and rapid response in south east Queensland.

The community was invited to look inside a rescue helicopter and view a demsontration water winch.

AGL Action Rescue CEO, Rob Walford, said he was sure that people will connect  the new  name “AGL Action Rescue” and the fresh livery with the Helicopter Service’s outstanding record of delivering timely, safe and reliable emergency and rescue helicopter support to the community.

“We fly over 900 missions every year and in every instance, time is a key factor to the success of the mission,” Mr Walford said.

“Many of those missions are rescues but we also conduct life saving patient transfers to hospitals.

“By July the fleet will include three Kawasaki BK117 twin engine helicopters capable of flying from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane in just 20 minutes,” he said.

AGL Action Rescue will continue to service Queensland communities primarily from Brisbane north to Miriam Vale and west through the Wide Bay and Burnett regions, with some tasks extending to Northern NSW and west to Miles and Goondiwindi.

END

Note to Editor: Video footage and photographs available

Media

About AGL Action Rescue
AGL Action Rescue is owned and operated by The Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue Service. It is a non-profit organisation, which undertakes vital rescue, medical and search missions throughout south east Queensland. The service is staffed by volunteers, emergency doctors, nurses and paramedics, who supplement the service's full-time staff. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the service is involved in over 900 rescue or patient transfers in any one year.

About AGL
AGL is Australia’s largest integrated renewable energy company and is taking action toward creating a sustainable energy future for our investors, communities and customers. Drawing on over 170 years of experience, AGL operates retail and merchant energy businesses, power generation assets and an upstream gas portfolio. AGL has Australia's largest retail energy and dual fuel customer base. AGL has a diverse power generation portfolio including base, peaking and intermediate generation plants, spread across traditional thermal generation as well as renewable sources including hydro, wind, landfill gas and biomass. AGL is Australia's largest private owner and operator of renewable energy assets and is looking to further expand this position by exploring a suite of low emission and renewable energy generation development opportunities.