Rainbow Helicopters has been providing aerial tours of Hawaii for more than 10 years, and usually it’s people it transports. That changed after the devastation of the 2023 fires in Lahaina, Maui, where for several weeks the Rainbow Airbus AS350s and Robinson R44s were used to bring in diapers, baby formula, bottled water, food, and medical supplies. For this, the company has been recognized as the 2024 recipient of Helicopter Association International’s Humanitarian Service Salute to Excellence Award.
The award, sponsored by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, honors the person or persons who best demonstrate the value of rotorcraft to the communities in which they operate by providing aid to those in need.
The award will be presented on February 26 at HAI Heli-Expo 2024 in Anaheim, California.
The Fire, the Response
The week of August 7 much of Hawaii was under a red flag warning for fire risk because of dangerous high-wind conditions caused by Hurricane Dora, a Category 4 storm that was moving across the Pacific Ocean hundreds of miles south of the Hawaiian Islands. Power lines downed by strong winds were blamed for starting several fires, including the roaring inferno that moved so fast that people were trapped in their cars when flames overtook them on the road, and others ran from their homes with nothing. At least 100 people were killed. Some are still missing and presumed dead. The town was destroyed.
When the employees of Oahu, Hawaii-based Rainbow Helicopters learned of the situation, they stepped up to help the residents of Lahaina, particularly the mothers and babies who didn’t have formula or diapers.
Nicole Battjes, Rainbow Helicopters’ owner and director of operations, had a 6-week-old child at home and knew other mothers and babies needed help. She sent her father-in-law and a Rainbow team member on a Costco run to buy as much formula, diapers, baby wipes, and other supplies that could fit in an AS350.
The Rainbow team volunteered its time to create an airlift that took $4,000 of supplies to Kapalua Airport (PHJH), as close to Lahaina as the helicopter could safely land.
- READ MORE: Flying a Rainbow in Hawaii
Ground-tour company volunteers met the helicopter with vans to unload and transport the supplies to families in need.
In addition to delivering much-needed supplies, Rainbow Helicopters established a GoFundMe account with the intention of raising $1,000 to purchase supplies for the Lahaina-area residents. The account raised more than $76,000, which was used to purchase supplies that Rainbow transported to the fire-ravaged area. Many of Rainbow’s employees volunteered their time, coming in off shift to help with the relief mission.
“It took on a life of its own, and I was overwhelmed with pride in our team, our community, and those making donations,” Battjes said. “At one point, through our partnerships, we were receiving photographs of specific supplies individual families needed, and our team members were volunteering their time to run to stores to get them and put them on the next flight. It took extra effort to drive around Oahu to find everything. It was really incredible to see people making this effort, and it was a feeling of hope during such a tragic time.”
Relief by the Numbers
Rainbow Helicopters flew 13 missions to Maui, carrying more than 5,500 pounds of supplies, including 275 containers of formula, 175 boxes of diapers and baby wipes, and more than 19 gallons of breast milk.
Castle & Cooke Aviation donated all the jet fuel, and Rainbow covered the avgas and aircraft for all the flights flown in both R44s and AS350s.
To help with distribution, Rainbow partnered with multiple organizations, including Northwest Mothers Milk Bank in Tigard, Oregon, and local nonprofits Keiki O Ka ‘Aina and Na ‘Aikane o Maui, which provided Rainbow with specific requests from families.
Rainbow continued its efforts into the holiday season, working with Keiki O Ka ‘Aina to provide food, gifts, and other necessities to families and arranging for an aircraft to fly Santa Claus to Maui to spread Christmas cheer and deliver food and gifts to children.
More information on HAI Heli-Expo 2024 can be found here.
