About 8000 people turned out for the annual SnowyHydro SouthCare base open day on Sunday, with the public taking the opportunity to check out the renowned life-saving rescue helicopter.
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Despite some late rain it was the "biggest and best" of their annual open days. ACT Ambulance, Fire and Rescue, Police and the State Emergency Services displayed the tools of their trades.
"There was a lot more for people to enjoy and we had really fantastic support from the local emergency services as well," media and communications manager Kate Van Haalen said.
Monika Lukasik took her son Sebastian along, spending four hours at the base in Symonston, as the three-year-old marvelled at all the machines, even trying his hand with a radar speed gun on the back of a police motorbike.
"We went last year … and [Sebastian] loves motorcycles and helicopters, firefighters and the works so we thought we'd take him out again," she said.
"Motorcycles are one of his favourite things and he's got a collection at home, so when he got an opportunity to sit on it and see the flashing lights he really enjoyed it.''
The event is the culmination of the helicopter service's annual awareness month, and while it's not a major fund-raiser for the service, which relies on sponsorship and donations, it was the welcome centre for cyclists who had been raising money in a Back to Base charity ride. Seven cyclists rode 700 kilometres from Griffith, NSW, back to the helicopter base over seven days, raising $30,000 for the helicopter and spreading awareness of the service which helps save hundreds of lives each year.
The ride was organised by Rohan Playford, whose life was saved by the SnowyHydro SouthCare rescue helicopter after he was severely injured in a motorbike accident.
