Finding lost and injured people in the region's bush and lake areas has been given a boost with the purchase of a new piece of equipment.
A grant from the Fonterra Grass Roots Fund has helped the BayTrust Rescue Helicopter to buy a handheld infra-red imaging system that can be used to detect a missing person using their body heat.
Funding liaison co-ordinator Tessa Carpenter said having this valuable piece of equipment on board the rescue helicopter enhanced the rapid response and agility of the service, particularly at night.
"It can pinpoint the missing person's exact location, which means less time and fewer resources are used in the search, so we can connect families with their loved ones sooner and save costs," she said.
Last year 169 lives were saved in the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty region by the BayTrust Rescue Helicopter which has two fulltime pilots and six part-time volunteer crewmen.
The free service, available 24/7, responds to everything from road accidents to farming and forestry accidents, hunting, tramping, recreational accidents, urgent hospital transfers and search and rescue missions.