‘Marching Through March’ aiming to raise €1.5M for Air Ambulance
The Irish Community Rapid Response Air Ambulance was tasked with 490 incidents across 13 counties during its first full year in operation.
The Cork-based Air Ambulance, which began operating in 2020, saw July as the single busiest month, being tasked a total of 59 times. Road traffic accidents accounted for the majority of incidents last year, with a total of 94 call outs. Among the other incidents reported, were 81 cardiac arrests, 74 general trauma calls, 73 general medical calls, 46 farming incidents and 29 falls from heights.
“Dozens of lives have been saved as a result of the hard work of the crew, and care administered in a timely manner to hundreds of others. Ireland needs this service, and this service needs the continuing support of our community fundraisers and corporate supporters,” said Mícheál Sheridan, ICRR Chief Executive.
The counties of Cork, Waterford and Kerry were most likely to require the service, however, the Air Ambulance provided support to Tipperary, Limerick, Clare, Wexford, Leitrim, Kildare, Kilkenny, Offaly, Roscommon and Galway too.
The ICRR Air Ambulance, based in Rathcoole, works in tandem with the National Ambulance Service to provide both paramedic support and transport to hospital for seriously ill patients.
As the Air Ambulance can cover a 25,000 kilometre square area within 30 minutes of emergency medical care, it means casualties can be brought to the hospital that best suits their life-saving needs, not just the geographically closest hospital.
“The statistics show the demand that exists for an Air Ambulance based in the south of the country. The ICRR Air Ambulance is airborne in under four minutes of being tasked by the National Ambulance Service, and is thirty minutes away from most of the areas within its catchment,” Mr Sheridan added.
Advanced paramedics and EMTs from the National Ambulance Service staff the Air Ambulance.
The IRCC currently has two helicopters at its medical aerodrome in Rathcoole, County Cork, only one of which is operational at any one time, the other acting as a backup.
A new, faster helicopter with longer range capacity is due to be delivered later in the year.
“We already possess an additional helicopter asset, and we know that there will always be a demand for the service across the country. A priority for us in 2021 is to work with other partners to ensure everyone on the island of Ireland is within 30 minutes of an air ambulance service, either provided by ICRR or the Irish Aer Corps,” said Mr Sheridan.
€1.5M TARGET
Fundraising efforts are already under way with the IRCC ‘Further Faster’ campaign to help raise €1.5 million needed this year to fund the service and its new Air Ambulance helicopter.
The appeal began with the 310,000 steps challenge ‘Marching Through March’ where the public and companies are asked to participate and help with vital fundraising efforts.