Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ULSTER AIR AMBULANCE’S 50 CALL-OUTS IN 7 WEEKS
New service already busy saving lives
NORTHERN Ireland’s new Air Ambulance service is already saving lives after 50 call-outs in its first seven weeks.
It has been deployed in each county with nearly three-quarters of all incidents attended road traffic collisions.
Air Ambulance chief Patrick Minne said: “We know from our colleagues who are working in intensive care there are people alive today who may not otherwise be without our intervention.
“We are able to get patients with head traumas into induced comas ahead of treatment in hospital as it is a doctor-led service.” Mr Minne revealed 77% of callouts have been to rural locations, adding: “It is more proof of the need to take care on the roads in country areas.
“Road traffic collisions tend to be head traumas and the speed with which we can attend really proves the value of the service. We can provide emergency room-type treatment at the side of the road.
“We’ve also been called to a range of agricultural, industrial, domestic and sports accidents.” Teams are able to reach any part of the country in 25 minutes.
Most call-outs have been to Co Down with 24, while there have been 19 responses in the Co Antrim and Greater Belfast area.
The figures have been revealed as part of National Air Ambulance Week which runs until Sunday and aims to raise awareness of the work of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in the UK.
As a charity the Air Ambulance needs £2million a year to keep it going and it is encouraging people to fundraise.
Donations can be made by visiting http://www. airambulanceni.org/