Central Queenslanders can let out a sigh of relief when they get a glimpse of a yellow truck or helicopter making its way to them.
For RACQ CapRescue’s naming rights sponsor, the ‘yellow truck feeling’ has been more visible than ever.
The latest figures from the State’s largest roadside assistance fleet revealed RACQ patrols have responded to more than 2,000 calls from motorists every day over the past financial year.
RACQ Chief Executive Assistance Glenn Toms said Queenslanders can always count on the RACQ roadside fleet to come to their rescue.
“RACQ responded to an average of 87 jobs per hour across Queensland, 755,000 in total during the year, and helped get 92% of drivers back on the road,” Mr Toms said.
“If you’ve ever been broken down on the side of the road, you’ll know that feeling of relief when one of RACQ’s patrol officers arrives to help. We call that the ‘yellow truck feeling’.”
The feeling is more than mutual for the almost 400 rescues performed up to September 2023 by the RACQ CapRescue helicopter.
Operations Manager Kirsty Wooler said the figures for the lifesaving service have also been on the rise, with the average increasing to 1.4 rescues per day.
“It appears that Rescue300 heading to the skies 50 times in January at an operational cost of $1.1 million set the scene for what the year would bring,” said Ms Wooler.
Past patient Andrea Bielenberg remembers that the time waiting for the Rescue300 helicopter to arrive was the longest hour of her life.
Andrea and her daughter Audrey were stung by Irukandji jellyfish on Great Keppel Island, and whilst in excruciating pain, it was only RACQ CapRescue flying overhead that brought some mild relief.
“In addition to my gratitude, the reassurance the service provides for friends and family cannot be overstated. The mere sound of the approaching helicopter was instant relief for my husband and our friends on GKI, knowing that medical support was close. My concerned parents in Rockhampton were also relieved as the helicopter passed over their home on the way to retrieve us and again at the hospital as it returned with Audrey and I.” Andrea recalled.
From motor vehicle accidents and rural incidents to inter-hospital transfers and search and rescue missions, more than 10,000 people have seen the yellow RACQ CapRescue helicopter and felt hope.
Together with the RACQ Roadside Assistance team, both are available 24/7, 365 days a year to help Queenslanders in need.