10,000th helicopter mission for air ambulance

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance has completed its 10,000th mission by helicopter.

The milestone mission took place yesterday afternoon, 19 April, when Doctor Fran Dolman, Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Specialist Paramedic Mike Funge, HEMS Paramedic Nigel Harley, and Captain Dave Nicholls were called to Ringwood, Hampshire, to provide critical care to a young male following a road traffic collision.

Following treatment at the scene, the patient was conveyed to University Hospital Southampton by our colleagues at South Central Ambulance Service.

Acting Chief Executive, Sherie Williams Ellen, said: ‘10,000 missions by air is an incredible landmark, and being a lifeline to so many people is something we take great pride in. However, I am acutely aware that we are only called out to the most seriously ill and injured people in our community, so for many of those patients it will have been the toughest day of their life.’

She added: ‘Thanks to the specialist skills, quick response and professionalism of our clinicians, we’ve given many of our patients the very best chance of survival. Children still have their parents; husbands, wives and partners remain side-by-side; friends and loved ones can continue to be there for one another, which is why we do what we do. Integral to all of this are our dedicated donors and supporters. Their commitment, passion and love for the Charity enable us to respond to so many people in their hour of need.’

The life-saving Charity is calling for supporters to donate via its website to ensure it can respond to the next 10,000 critically ill and injured patients.

£10 could buy 100 metres of suction tubing

£50 could buy 12 Precise skin staplers

£151.42 could buy 60 FFP3 face masks.

10 facts about Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance

• The Critical Care Teams consist of HEMS doctors, specialist paramedics and highly skilled HEMS pilots.

• The teams provide advanced critical care including amputations, sedations, blood transfusions and can anaesthetise patients and put them onto a ventilator.

• The most common incidents last year included cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions and medical incidents, such as strokes.

• The Air Ambulance can land in an area the size of a tennis court and can be anywhere in Hampshire within 15 minutes and the Isle of Wight in 20 minutes.

• Thanks to Fenn Night Vision Goggles, the Charity started flying night missions in 2016.

• The Charity also attends life-saving missions in its Critical Care Team Vehicles.

• These vehicles and the helicopter carry the same equipment you would expect to find in a hospital emergency department.

• The Charity responds to emergency call-outs seven days a week, 19 hours a day.

• The Critical Care Teams are on hand for the 1.5 million people who live in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

• It costs the Charity £15,000 a day to maintain the service.