Helicopter ambulance appeal
Sir, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) is to base a second life-saving helicopter at Aberdeen.
We start 2019 full of hope that we can launch a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operation in the north east - callsign Helimed 79 – that will serve Scotland alongside its charity stablemate Helimed 76 at Perth and two government-funded helicopter air ambulances based at Glasgow and Inverness and two fixed-wing aircraft at Glasgow and Aberdeen.
To realise our goal, however, we rely on the continued support and generosity of the people of Scotland.
Their unstinting backing has ensured SCAA has provided a first-class single helicopter HEMS operation funded entirely by charitable donations for the past five years.
Continued giving will allow us to operate two aircraft - effectively doubling the number of fast-reaction helicopter air ambulance resources in Scotland.
Over the years, SCAA has responded to nearly 2,000 time-critical emergencies in every corner of the country - from Orkney to the Borders and the Western Isles to the far north east.
Many lives have been saved thanks to the people of Scotland. Many others have been improved and hundreds of patients have recovered more quickly because of their rapid transfer to definitive hospital care. Let 2019 be a year to remember for everyone - the year the people of Scotland helped launch Helimed 79 on its life-saving service to fly help and hope to every community.
Visit www.scaa.org.uk to help us today so that we can be there to help everyone tomorrow. David Craig, chief executive, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), Perth Airport.