Forty-year aeromedical veteran Dr Allan MacKillop has been appointed chair of the LifeFlight Foundation board.
Dr MacKillop brings a wealth of experience to the board, including 16 years as LifeFlight’s Chief Medical Officer, five years as chair of the LifeFlight Medical Board, and nearly 25 years with the Royal Australian Air Force Specialist Reserve.
He replaces Stewart Morland who steps down after 17 years of exemplary service both as chair of the Foundation and as a director of LifeFlight Australia.
Dr MacKillop began his aeromedical career in the early 1980s on the Gold Coast working alongside current CEO Ashley van de Velde who was a volunteer aircrewman.
The service was then in its infancy and Dr MacKillop was one of the early anaesthetists on the Gold Coast and Northern NSW and just one of a few doctors who volunteered their medical services to the community rescue helicopter service.
Dr MacKillop’s long and storied career includes working overseas to medevac Bali bombing victims and supporting the Indian Ocean tsunami response.
In 2018 he was awarded Life Membership in LifeFlight and that same year carried the Queen’s Baton on the Gold Coast after being winched down by a LifeFlight helicopter before the Commonwealth Games.
Dr MacKillop said he was honoured by the appointment, which came in his fifth decade of service.
“It’s extraordinary to think of how far LifeFlight has come in the past five decades and seeing the organisation go from strength to strength helping more people each year,” Dr MacKillop said.
“The Foundation is an integral part of LifeFlight because it’s a crucial way of connecting with the community and showcasing the work we do each day.
“We’re lucky to have so many people who sit on our Regional Advisory Committees and volunteer their time to advocate for LifeFlight and our life-saving work.
“I count myself fortunate for being here for the whole journey and am eager to start leading the Foundation as it grows its work in the community.”
Dr MacKillop said a key focus besides fundraising for medical equipment and bases was the First Minutes Matter emergency trauma training program.
“First Minutes Matter is key for building community resilience by teaching people the practical skills they need to respond to life-threatening events such as car accidents or stroke incidents and snake bites,” he said.
LifeFlight Chair Jim Elder thanked Mr Morland for his service over the past decades.
“Stewart was instrumental in establishing our Toowoomba base as well as guiding the development of aeromedical bases across the Surat Basin and Gladstone region,” he said.
“We’ve very sorry to see him go and wish him the best for the future.”
Mr Elder said Dr MacKillop brought an unmatched level of medical expertise to the board.
“I congratulate Dr MacKillop on his appointment which reflects not just his great service to our organisation, but his immense talent for putting the community first in everything we do,” he said.
“I know the board will benefit greatly from his insights into fundraising and community engagement through the Regional Advisory Committees and First Minutes Matter emergency trauma training program.”
Dr MacKillop joins fellow LifeFlight Foundation Board members Mr van de Velde and non-executive directors Mike Stewart, Travis Schultz and Allan Godbee.
