General News
12 April, 2024
RFDS needs you
THE Royal Flying Doctor Service in Cairns needs critical public donations to replace vital medical equipment lost in December’s floods.
As the RFDS base at Cairns Airport undergoes a $3 million-plus rebuild, a fundraising campaign to raise more than $200,000 is underway for new devices such as two tonometers (measures pressure inside a person’s eye, $6000 each), two portable ultrasounds ($28,000 each), two i-STAT Wireless blood analysers ($10,500 each), two cardiac defibrillators ($40,000 each), and at least eight syringe drivers ($6000 each).
Kenfrost Homes has kicked the campaign off with a $5000 donation, while the FNQ RFDS Near and Far Auxiliary has donated $46,000, but more was needed from businesses and the community, Mr Reeves said.
“We thank Kenfrost Homes for their generous donation and the great work that the near and far auxiliary do on our behalf. It is always humbling for RFDS as an organisation to see the value and respect that the work we do has within our local communities,” he said.
“With the costs that are involved in running such a unique and necessary community service it is essential that we receive this kind of support from local businesses, and we look forward to working more with Kenfrost Homes and other likeminded businesses in the Cairns community.”
FNQ RFDS Near and Far Auxiliary’s Susanne Gane said “this equipment cannot be simply purchased off the shelf”.
“It is specialised medical equipment that needs to be extremely robust and as light as possible to reduce weight in the aircraft,” she said.
Kenfrost Homes marketing co-oridinator Alex Loughton said “Kenfrost are committed to assisting our community where there is need”.
“The RFDS have a long and proud history of outstanding and vitally important service to the region,” he said.
Mr Reeves said at last 300mm of water entered the hangar while up to 500mm had inundated the ground floor offices which housed administration and operational staff including pilots, engineers, doctors and nurses.
He said the rebuild was in full swing with the operations centre expected to be finished in four months and administration by December.
In the meantime, staff were working out of portable offices in the base carpark and administration staff had relocated to an office near the domestic terminal.
Mr Reeves said to make matters worse the water contained contaminants used during airport fire exercises at the north-western end of the airport.
He said three aircraft were in the hangar during the floods and engineers worked quickly to replace the bearings and brakes on the landing gear and made sure the engines were OK.
Mr Reeves said a lot of engineering tools and power packs were lost in the floods.
He said the aircraft and the operations centre were up and running within a week of the floods.
Mr Reeves said the main contractor and subcontractors, who provided regular services to the RFDS, dropped everything to concentrate on the base rebuild.
He said a new, higher floor would be built to provide better reliance to any future floods.
To donate visit https://bit.ly/3TQa8MF
