The Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter is in dire need of money. And if the executives of the company are to be believed then it needs to raise $1 million extra this year than it did last year, if it wants to survive.

Telling about the current situation, Kris Beavis, General Manager of rescue helicopters said that the company runs on donations which have declined by 12 per cent since last year.

But the costs have continued to rise and the current operating budget of the rescue service is $6.5 million. This is double of what it had four years back.

Besides this, the local residents who are the main source of donations have lessened or stopped paying. At present, only 1.3 per cent of the localities make regular and direct donations.

The only way that the service can now survive is through increasing the donation base and also increasing the amount of donations that are given.

Said Beavis that the percentage figures of donations are better but since the rescuer does not go from door to door for raising money, some substantial additions need to be made from the community if the service needs to survive.