Counties top list for emergency call-outs by the air ambulance
MORE THAN 700 VITAL MISSIONS IN RUTLAND AND LEICESTERSHIRE
MORE than 700 emergency missions were flown in Leicestershire and Rutland by the air ambulance service last year.
The total of 732 potentially lifesaving call-outs to the two counties was the highest across the region covered by the air ambulances.
The Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance, (DLRAA) and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) work around the clock and, despite the impact of the cost of living crisis and increased fuel prices, the charity has continued to provide frontline critical care across its five counties and further afield.
In total, the service was called upon 3,119 times in 2022 via helicopter and critical care car, with DLRAA responding to 1,708 of the callouts and WNAA responding to 1,411.
The highest number of call-outs were to Leicestershire and Rutland with 732, Derbyshire had 558 callouts, Northamptonshire 405 and Warwickshire had 386.
A further 397 incidents were responded to across the West Midlands, 472 across Nottinghamshire, 81 across Lincolnshire, and many more split across other neighbouring counties.
As in the year before, the highest number of call-outs were to medical incidents at 34 per cent, followed by road accidents at 27 per cent.
A category labelled “other” – consisting of assaults, self-harm, and mental health incidents – accounted for 24 per cent of missions, falls 10 per cent, sports 3 per cent and industrial 2 per cent.
The Air Ambulance Service is a charity and receives no government funding.
It routinely carries senior doctors and consultants on board, in essence taking the hospital to the patient and allowing them to provide advanced treatment on scene.
Its modern AgustaWestland helicopters have a top speed of 185mph and are the fastest civilian helicopters available.
Philip Bridle, of the charity, said: “Despite the economic difficulties everyone has faced over the past year, the support from our communities has meant our dedicated crews, who respond to emergencies on average 10 times a day, could continue attending life-saving missions across Leicestershire and further afield.
“Our 24/7 frontline services were enhanced in 2022 as we made clinical developments through bringing blood products onboard and training our critical care paramedics in the use of ultrasound equipment.
“We have plans to further develop in 2023 by bringing new critical care cars online as well as introducing new equipment such as ventilators and cardiac monitors as we head towards our 50,000-mission milestone this year.”
■ To support the charity, call 0300 3045 999 or visit: