Snake bite teen gets air help

A teenager bitten by a snake in Highland Perthshire prompted an emergency response from Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) this week.

The charity air ambulance helicopter touched down at the remote countryside setting near Kinloch Rannoch after a 15 minute flight to reach the boy bitten on the ankle by an adder as he walked along a riverbank with his family who were on holiday from Germany.

SCAA airlifted the boy - accompanied by his father - to Ninewells Hospital for treatment.

SCAA paramedics used their rapid response vehicle to reach the scene of a two car road traffic collision on the A9 just south of Broxden roundabout.Two ambulances and Police Scotland also attended.

Five people were injured in the incident, with a SCAA paramedic accompanying the most seriously injured in a land ambulance to Ninewells Hospital.

SCAA was deployed to urgently fly a critical care team to a medical emergency at Stranraer.The helicopter collected the team at Glasgow and flew them on to attend the patient.

The charity helicopter ensured paramedic care was quickly on scene when they were called to a cardiac emergency at a home near Kirriemuir. SCAA paramedics worked with land crew colleagues before the patient was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Another cardiac patient prompted SCAA to deploy their land based rapid response vehicle to Blairgowrie where again they assisted Scottish Ambulance Service land crew colleagues.

And SCAA was first on scene when an elderly patient needed emergency medical care near Brewlands Bridge in the Angus Glens this week.

SCAA flew alongside Helimed 5 colleagues to two concurrent urgent transfer requirements on Arran. Both helicopters airlifted patients to Crosshouse Hospital at Kilmarnock.

Long-standing supporter - the MacDonald Arms at Balbeggie - staged its annual beer bash recently and donated £349.48 to SCAA.

Johnston Carmichael chartered accountants in Perth this week donated £693.02 to the helicopter charity.

And a staff event at Dewars Aberfeldy distillery included a collection for SCAA with £131.49 raised.

Thanks also to those attending the Tomintoul Motorcycle Gathering where £500 was secured for the air ambulance charity.

And a very welcome £10 donation came from a Perth man who collected scrap metal from his neighbours.

Locally placed collecting cans being emptied this week include those from: Edinburgh Road Esso services, Perth £120.48; the Country Store, Kinloch Ranch £41.66; Giacopazzi, Kinross £24.91; MacDonald Arms, Balbeggie £169.96; Newtyle Post Office £29.96; the Strawberry Shop, Scones of Lethendy £55.99 and Kisa’s, Perth £34.29.

SCAA is going global as it looks at overseas challenges for the charity’s growing number of adventurous supporters.

Open challenges being lined up include walking the Great Wall of China and a Vietnam to Cambodia cycle.

Find out more at www.scaa.org.uk/ support-us/fundraise/ take-part-in-afundraising-event