The red and yellow Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter has become an iconic image of lifesaving on the NSW south coast, but little is known of the men who are entrusted with it.
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On an average day, three crew members with defence and lifesaving backgrounds wait patiently at the Moruya Airport for an emergency call with their next mission.
While they often spend their day performing maintenance tasks, they can have the helicopter in the air within four minutes headed to a rocky coastline or the snowy mountains.
"This is generally the busiest time of year although in winter and the spring months we'll assist lost bushwalkers or the rare flooding event that occurred in the Bega region," said helicopter pilot Rob Wildman.
"Recently some kids were jumping off a bridge in the Bega Valley and they got washed out to sea and so we responded to that, which is a pretty typical job for us."
Ewan McKenzie, who operates the helicopter winch and has been with the service for more than 20 years, said the majority of missions involved swimmers, fisherman or boats which had run into trouble in remote areas.
"We're often sent out to overturned boats near the coastline or rock fisherman who have fallen into the water, which is the primary business for the Sydney-based helicopter," he said.
"Flood rescue has also become a large part of our work down here, particularly if the flood is in a coastal region where you experience flash floods.
"It's so important that people don't play in a flooded river because they think it might be something fun because you're guaranteed to run into trouble and strife."
Mr McKenzie said each member of the crew had very specific skills, such as Wade Coster who can be seen dangling from a rope below the helicopter tasked with rescuing a patient.
"Wade is an elite surf lifesaver so we look to recruit people like him who are at the top of their game and train them on the helicopter aspect of the work," Mr McKenzie said.
Mr Coster, who has been with the service for more than two years, said the role was very competitive with more than 400 people applying for his position when it was advertised.
"It's important that people wear a lifejacket when they're on the water because if they did so it would mean a happy ending for us," he said
"It's the difference between us retrieving bodies instead of people."
Mr McKenzie said it was rare for crewmembers to spot a shark along the south coast although they were required to scan the ocean during patrols.
"We undertake surf patrols over summer where the primary role is to look after the safety of swimmers which involves looking out for sharks, but we don't see many," he said.
"It's not a primary role because there are just not that many out there, while in Western Australia and South Australia that's their core business."
Despite being passionate about their jobs and the adrenalin of flying, the crew members were less excited by the three hours of routine cleaning and maintenance that followed each rescue or training mission.
"We've had these for a number of years and they are extremely well maintained, and for that we're very appreciative of the funds that enable that as a charity-based organisation," Mr Wildman said.
