Busy time for rescue crew

Four time-critical HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) calls saw Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) fly three patients to Ninewells Hospital at Dundee on the same day this week.

The back-to-back emergencies - during a busy nine hour period involved two equestrian accidents, a medical emergency and a road traffic collision.

In each case, SCAA delivered expert paramedic care to the scene and then conveyed three of the four patients to advanced hospital care in just minutes.

The first took the crew to a riding arena near Newburgh where a woman had fallen from her horse and sustained leg injuries. The second was to a medical emergency in Angus.

Then it was back to Fife to attend a second horse rider at a remote site near Leven. The female rider suffered neck injuries in a fall.

The patient was no sooner handed over to hospital care at Ninewells than the call came to a road traffic collision near Drymen where a motorcyclist was injured in a crash with a car.

SCAA paramedics worked with the injured man before he was taken by road ambulance to hospital.

The following day, SCAA deployed its rapid response vehicle with two paramedics to an accident involving a horse transporter on the A9 just south of Broxden.

The vehicle ended up in a ditch trapping the driver for over two hours. SCAA paramedics worked with the patient alongside colleagues from Scottish Ambulance Service and Tayside Trauma Team as Scottish Fire and Rescue Service worked to free the injured woman.

A SCAA paramedic then accompanied the patient on the land ambulance to Ninewells Hospital at Dundee.

SCAA was one of two air ambulance resources deployed to a road traffic collision on the A905 near Airth. An injured motorcyclist was airlifted to hospital at Glasgow by the other aircraft with trauma team clinicians on board.

Over 300 people ran, climbed, skidded and scrambled their way round the gruelling Lanrick Challenge course at Doune to help raise a record £18,000 for SCAA.

All those taking on the last-ever Lanrick Challenge brought in a similar amount of funds for the Perthshire-based SandpiperTrust.

Both are life-saving charities and the funds raised will again help provide a lifeline for those in need through illness or injury - especially in remote and rural locations.

Cupar and District Model Railway Club raised £516 from a raffle at the club’s recent open day.

Thanks also to Callander and West Perthshire U3A Knit and Natter Group who has raised £400.

SCAA collecting cans being emptied and counted this week include: The Country Store, Kinloch Rannoch £72.49 and Co-op Food, Alyth £33.48.

SCAA will be collecting at this Sunday’s Perth Salute and will also have a stand at the North Inch.

Why not sign up for SCAA’s next fundraising abseil from the Forth Rail Bridge on October 6?

This will be the 14th abseil from the iconic structure for SCAA supporters. To date they have raised an amazing £120,816. Every abseil has featured some Perthshire daredevils and if you fancy being part of the SCAA team please contact Fiona on 0300 123 1111 or email f.dennis@scaa.org. uk