From 1 July 2026 the Auckland Rescue helicopters serving Auckland and the Coromandel will be known as Northland Westpac Rescue Helicopters, operated by Northern Rescue.

The Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter has been serving the Auckland & Coromandel communities for over 50 years and this change reflects the continued evolution of New Zealand's aeromedical rescue network.

While our names have evolved, their mission remains exactly the same: delivering trusted emergency rescue and air ambulance services whenever and wherever they are needed.
Every day, our dedicated pilots, aircrew officers, doctors and critical care paramedics stand ready to respond with skill, compassion and professionalism 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Following the Government's introduction of a three-region model in 2018, in 2019 a partnership was formed between the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and the Northland Emergency Services Trust, more than 90 years of combined rescue helicopter and aeromedical expertise came together under one organization.

Today, Northern Rescue proudly owns and operates both the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopters and the Northland Westpac Rescue Helicopters.

In 2025 alone, crews based in Whangārei and Ardmore completed almost 2,100 missions, providing lifesaving care and rescue when it mattered most.

As a charitable, community-supported organization, we remain deeply grateful to our supporters, partners, volunteers and donors. A new name. The same dedicated crews. The same unwavering commitment to saving lives.