Air ambulance service praised by patient...
Builder had fractured back
A BUILDER has praised the “fantastic free service” provided by local air ambulance, which he saw at first hand when he had an accident at home.
The Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA) landed in school playing fields near Dave Hutchings’ home in Syston when he fell off a ladder and fractured his back, two years ago.
The helicopter was launched from its East Midlands Airport base by the local ambulance service, as it was feared that Dave’s injuries may have required him being treated and flown to a major trauma centre with specialists in spinal injury care.
Fortunately for Dave, after assessment by the air ambulance critical care team at the scene, it was agreed that it wasn’t necessary and so he was taken to the local hospital – Leicester Royal Infirmary – by land ambulance instead.
Dave said: “The air ambulance crew were so impressive and very professional. They were brilliant and arrived so quickly. I was put on a scoop stretcher to immobilise my spine for the drive to hospital and they remained with me until we left the scene.
“I know the air ambulance is a charity and receives no government funding so I feel very guilty that they came to my rescue and then didn’t have to fly me to hospital. It proves that they really are there for you.”
Dave (55), a selfemployed builder, sustained wedge fractures to two vertebrae and was only kept in hospital for a day. He returned to work after six weeks and has been able to carry on working since the accident despite ongoing back problems.
Dave was chopping branches from the top of conifer trees in his neighbour’s garden when he fell off the ladder.
Dave lay on the ground for about an hour. He used his mobile phone to ask a friend to come and clear away all his tools and move his van from the neighbour’s drive but didn’t want him to call the emergency services. It wasn’t until Dave’s wife Mel arrived on the scene an hour later that they called 999.
A keen biker since he was old enough to get a licence, Dave raised £200 for the local air ambulance by riding from John O’Groats to Land’s End in June 2017.
Ironically, within a year of completing the 880 miles trip in just 17 hours, Dave was treated by the DLRAA crew after falling from the ladder.
“Not for one moment did I think I would need the air ambulance in the circumstances that I did. What a fantastic free service it provides. I feel very lucky that my injuries weren’t more serious and the helicopter was there for me should I have needed to be flown to a different hospital,” he said.
The 24/7 lifesaving service reaches its 40,000 mission milestone this June and relies on generous donations to make these missions happen – to find out more, please visit www.theairambulanceservice. or call 0300 3045 999.