Coal Services Donates $1 Millon To The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service

Coal Services Donates $1 Millon to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service

* The donation embodies the company's commitment to look after the health and welfare of the mining industry and the community

Sydney (Australia), 4 of August 2010- Coal Services Pty Limited (CSPL) announced today the donation of $ 1 million dollars to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

The donation cheque was officially presented this morning by Coal Service's Chairman Ron Land at the Broadmeadow's Base Rescue Helicopter Service in Newcastle, during an official ceremony chaired by Richard Jones, General Manager of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. The ceremony was also attended by representatives of Coal Services, the NSW Mineral Council, and the NSW Northern District of the Construction, Forestry, Mining, and Energy Union (CFMEU).

"Coal Services is pleased to make this substantial donation to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. This service is a front line protection for mineworkers, and has been heavily supported by the industry over many years. There is no more important role for Coal Services than protecting the health and safety of mine workers", said Coal Service's Chairman Ron Land.

Coal Services is an industry-owned specialist organisation with a mandate to promote best practice occupational health and safety at coal mines in New South Wales. The Westpac Rescue Service Helicopter Chairman, Cliff Marsh OAM, said that this extraordinary donation reflected the value that Coal Services Pty Ltd placed on the delivery of first class health and safety services. "On behalf of the community, I express our appreciation to Coal Services. This donation will ease the burden of repayments of the funds needed to bring another four engine aircraft into service and help to ensure the Rescue Service remains at the forefront of aero-medical retrieval and emergency service."

The donation represents a further step in Coal Service's long term support of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, and embodies the company's commitment to "give back" to the industry and the community, safeguarding their health and welfare.

Coal Services CEO Mark Coyne said: "This is another example of Coal Services being able to provide non-financial dividends to our two shareholders, the CFMEU, who represent the Mine Workers, and the NSW Minerals Council, who represent the Coal Mine Operators."

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is a community owned and operated aeromedical search and rescue service in NSW. It provides a critical service to the NSW mining community, landing at mine sites to retrieve seriously injured mineworkers.

The helicopter service supplies a free service to over one million people, covering a region of 132,000 square kilometres. Each year, it performs over 1200 missions, rescuing people from accident scenes and transporting critically ill patients from small, rural hospitals to large tertiary hospitals.


For more information please contact:

Belinda Ward-Marketing Manager Coal Services
Mobile: 0419 148 135
[email protected]

Eva Lopez-Casero- Fortbridge Consulting
0402 233 782
[email protected]

About Coal Services: Coal Services Pty Limited is an industry-owned, workplace focused, specialist organisation leading best practice occupational health, safety, worker's compensation insurance, mines rescue services and innovative training solutions throughout Australian coal mining and heavy industries.

The group has statutory functions as outlined within the NSW Coal Industry Act 2001. These functions include, but are not limited to the provision of workers compensation, occupational health and rehabilitation services for workers engaged in the coal industry; collection, collation and dissemination of statistics relating to the health and safety of workers engaged the coal industry; and the provision of mines rescue services and training to the NSW coal industry.

Coal Services Pty Limited has developed the most advanced real world simulator of its kind, preparing staff to respond to dangerous situations that may be encountered in a hazardous environment. The Virtual Reality Training System is accurate and realistic, allowing staff to experience and respond to real hazards in a safe and controlled environment, before actually encountering them in the workplace. Please visit: www.virtualrealitytrainingsystem.com

SOURCE: COAL SERVICES PTY LTD