Air ambulance continues to operate during the pandemic
we need the support of people within our communities now more than ever before.
THE Air Ambulance Service has announced that Leicestershire was the most served county in 2020 with a reported 765 incidents.
The Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance, (DLRAA), along with the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance, (WNAA), worked around the clock over the last year despite facing financial uncertainty.
Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the charity has continued to provide frontline critical care across its five counties and further afield.
The local air ambulance has reported a projected loss of income of at least £2.2 million, but the service was called to over 3,400 missions in 2020 as it remained fully operational to provide vital support to the NHS.
The dedicated crews were tasked to 3,410 potentially lifesaving missions last year via helicopter and critical care car, with DLRAA responding to 2,043 of the call outs.
Charity CEO, Andy Williamson, said: “The pandemic has had a significant impact on so many, including our own lifesaving charity.
“We have faced a projected net loss of income of at least £2.2 million for the months April to June last year, and worryingly we have started 2021 with another lockdown.” As a result of the lockdowns, there were fewer cars on the roads, but both crews remained tasked to more medical incidents (33%) than road traffic collisions (28%).
The ‘other’ category, consisting of assaults, self-harm, and mental health incidents, accounted for 24% of missions. Falls accounted for 10%, sports 3% and industrial 2%.
The charity will be bringing their two brand new replacement aircraft online, which will continue to have critical care paramedics and doctors on-board.
Andy said: “As a charity, our mission is clear - to continue providing leading pre-hospital emergency care to our patients and to support the NHS.
“In order to do this, we need the support of people within our communities now more than ever before.” The new aircraft are able to perform out-of-hospital surgical procedures, from thoracotomies and caesareans to amputations by the roadside.
The charity has had to temporarily close its chain of 56 stores during the third national lockdown, and community fundraising events remain on hold for the foreseeable future.
Andy said: “Despite these losses and the multiple lockdowns, our 24/7 lifesaving service celebrated its 40,000th mission milestone last year, and has continued to remain on the frontline, fully operational for those who need us.” The charity is urging the public to continue supporting them through donations, virtual fundraising events, and by shopping with them online.