Cornwall Air Ambulance tasked to over 500 incidents in first half of year
The charity is now preparing for a peak in missions over the busy summer period
It has been revealed that the Cornwall Air Ambulance has been tasked to over 500 incidents in the first half of 2021.
In the six-month period from 1st January until 30th June, critical care paramedics were called out to 280 trauma incidents, which included 85 road traffic collisions, 85 falls and 14 equestrian- related emergencies.
Crews responded to 232 medical incidents, including 135 cardiac-related emergencies.
Now the charity is preparing for a peak in missions over the summer period as more people take staycations in the county and social distancing measures are set to come to an end.
The crew respond to an average of three incidents a day over the course of a year, but this can increase to over 10 during the busy summer season.
“It looks like Cornwall will be exceptionally busy this summer, with more people than ever taking holidays at home.
"More visitors mean more traffic on the roads, more people on the beaches and exploring the coastline – which all increases the risk of incidents and the need for the helicopter service.
“This is the first summer we have been able to respond 19 hours a day on the helicopter, which is now a necessity to meet the ever-increasing demand for critical care by air.”
Steve Murdoch, Interim Chief Executive for Cornwall Air Ambulance
Cornwall Air Ambulance has continued to operate throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring the critical care team can respond to emergencies in someone’s moment of need.
The charity relies on donations to provide the service. For more information visit cornwallairambulancetrust.org