RAC Rescue

Established on August 11, 2003, as Western Australia's first and only 24/7 emergency rescue helicopter service, RAC Rescue is funded by the State Government, managed by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), and proudly sponsored by the Royal Automobile Club of WA (RAC). The service operates from two primary bases: Jandakot Airport in Perth, which launched at the service's inception, and a second purpose-built base at Bunbury Airport, which became operational on February 1, 2016, to improve response times in the South West. Key milestones include surpassing 10,000 missions in 2024 and the 2025 introduction of a state-of-the-art fleet of Leonardo AW139 helicopters, which are 40% faster and have a significantly longer range than the original Bell 412 aircraft. The daily operations, including the provision of pilots and engineers, are handled by commercial operator CHC Helicopter Australia, while St John WA provides the highly trained critical care paramedics who deliver life-saving medical treatment mid-flight.