Bulldogs and LifeFlight Saving Lives Together

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs together with game day partners, Tourism Events Queensland (TEQ) and RACQ LifeFlight Rescue, have unveiled over $8,500 worth of training and medical equipment purchased from monies donated to RACQ LifeFlight Rescue by the Bulldogs after the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership match in Bundaberg.

The 2022 game played at Salter Oval on August 5, 2022, marked the first NRL match to be played for points in Bundaberg and a match where the Bulldogs announced $1 from every ticket sold would be donated to the local RACQ LifeFlight Rescue service.

RACQ LifeFlight Rescue is a trusted and relied-upon provider of emergency aeromedical care based in the heart of Bundaberg, and members of the crew were on hand today during the announcement. RACQ LifeFlight Rescue Critical Care Doctor Richard Parker demonstrated the use of the equipment, expressed his gratitude to the Club for their support, and explained just how essential donations are to their operations.

“The whole of the base and all of our medical equipment as the new Doctor, Paramedic model up here, essentially relies on charitable funding,” he said.

“So, it’s really important that we receive charitable donations so that we can continue to do our job with the correct equipment, such as the new airway kit and the mannequin that allows us to train properly and correctly in all sorts of scenarios.”

The mannequin – a Crash Kelly worth approximately $6,500 - is a durable training mannequin with an intubation head for advanced airway management and realistic articulation. Whereas the airway kit is a Video Laryngoscope and a vital piece of equipment (worth around $2,500) to improve and shorten the time taken to successful intubation. During rescues, retrieval teams often have to place breathing tubes into patients with head, neck and spinal injuries.

By having both the mannequin and airway kit available to the retrieval teams, Dr Parker said the crew will be able to train in scenarios and realistic simulations to perform their job quicker, safer and with less patient harm in real-life situations. For the Critical Care Doctors and Paramedics on board the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue choppers, that means better patient outcomes: “The training mannequin allows us to practice what we’re going to do out on the roadside, at small regional hospitals and then in a controlled environment,” he said.

The RACQ LifeFlight Rescue services bring lifesaving medical treatment to seriously ill and injured patients across the entire Bundaberg region and as the first NRL match to come to the area, the Bulldogs saw it as a great opportunity to create a real impact for the local community. The Bulldogs proudly visiting the area with the support of TEQ.

“We've just seen how the contribution of the Bulldogs will actually be changing lives across the region, by saving lives across the region,” said Bundaberg local MP, Tom Smith.

“And that is so critically important to allow the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue doctors to do exactly what they do, which is going out there and saving lives every single day.

“We already heard about one of the devices that has come about through the Bulldogs’ contribution that has already helped to save lives only a month ago. So that's how important it is to have the NRL and the Bulldogs in the region.

“The Bulldogs are more than just an NRL club. It's more than just 80 minutes of footy here. It's actually a contribution to the community and changing lives for the better as well. It's outstanding for the region, and for the health of the region,” he said.

“We’re looking forward to seeing them take on the Dolphins this year and seeing them next year as well, driving that local regional economy and making young kids’ dreams come true by being able to see the NRL in their backyard and dreaming for the stars one day to become an NRL star themselves.”

Bulldogs Chief Executive Officer Aaron Warburton and Director Andrew Gifford were among those visiting the Bundaberg RACQ LifeFlight Rescue base and thanking the rescue helicopter crew on behalf of the Bulldogs for their outstanding and critical work.

“We work with a number of charities at the Bulldogs Football Club. It’s not all about the 80 minutes of football, its’ also about our people in the community,” said Warburton.

“Community is one of our key differentiators and it’s about a significant driver of our business in Belmore. When we can extend what we do in the community to regions like Bundaberg, we simply impact more lives.”

In the lead-up to the regional match in 2022, the Bulldogs had their sights set on achieving 8,000 game attendees and ended up attracting over 8,500 people in a sell-out spectacular against the North Queensland Cowboys.

Looking ahead to the 2023 match in July, the Bulldogs have set their sights on facilitating even more seating and improved vantage points to the Oval and are already planning to raise funds again with every ticket sold.

But Warburton said it wasn’t just the Club who was to thank for the funds received, rather that it was the community who had rallied behind the essential service:

“They [the community] did it by putting their hands in their pockets, coming to watch the great game of Rugby League, supporting the Bulldogs and ultimately, RACQ LifeFlight Rescue.”

“We can’t wait to be back in July to raise even more funds where it matters. With limited seating available, the advice would be to join as a Member to access guaranteed seating and early access to tickets.”

Tickets will go on sale to Members in late May and will be on sale to the general public in early June.

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