Founded in 1973 by Surf Life Saving Australia, a not-for-profit organisation, the service has carried out more than 80,000 flights[1] ranging from aeromedical to search and rescue missions.

With support of major sponsor, Westpac, Greater Sydney opened a summer-time base at Moruya Airport in December 2010 for three months.

Life Saving Victoria also works closely with the police air-wing and marine rescue units which enables the fastest response to emergency calls.

In South Australia, Service helicopters patrol beaches on weekends, public holidays and busy weekdays over summer from November through to March each year.

Its patrolling region is the Adelaide mid-south coastline from North Haven to Normanville, and the South Coast from Parsons Beach to the Murray Mouth, including Victor Harbor, Port Elliot, Middleton and Goolwa.

The Service launched operations in Western Australia in December 2008 at Rous Head, Fremantle with patrols beaches on weekends, public holidays and busy weekdays over the summer months.

The South West Service started in 2013 at Busselton Regional Airport and patrols the areas between Bunbury and Hamelin Bay.

SCATs work closely with the local accredited rescue units to access, assess, triage, and treat patients.

They provide patient care and are responsible for preparing the aeromedical evacuation missions, coordinating with the flight crew and other medical personnel, as well as liaising with retrieval services.

The Victoria service saw the addition of Lifesaver 31 in the 2020/21 season, as a dedicated surveillance aircraft equipped with high definition cameras and a FLIR device.

Reviews commissioned by NSW Ambulance during 2004 and 2005 identified a number of systemic weaknesses with the services provided by both the WLSHRS and by CareFlight,[23] delivered under a mix of government funding, corporate sponsorship and fundraising.

In December 2006, John Hatzistergos, the NSW Minister for Health, announced the government's decision to award a contract for the Greater Sydney area to Canadian Helicopter Corporation (CHC), which was already providing a service in Wollongong and Canberra, for commencement from May 2007; effectively terminating the contracts for the Greater Sydney area held by WLSHRS and CareFlight.

Ambulance data show that the performance of CHC is meeting contract requirements with the exception of the availability of the Wollongong helicopter.

"Ahead of the publication of the Auditor-General's report, it was reported in December 2009 that CHC were seeking to sell its Australian air services arm, following a series of mishaps including engine failures, windows falling out of the aircraft, no installed air conditioning system inside the cabin as well as response delays to accident sites.

Ernst & Young were engaged to assist with the review; and delivered a final report with 56 recommendations that were released for public comment from December 2012 to mid March 2013.