Flying to the rescue of fallen rider

It was another busy week for Scotland’s only air ambulance, with 13 emergency call-outs taking them as far afield as Mull, Fort William, the Borders and Braemar.

The week started with a flight to the Newburgh area, where a woman was badly injured in a fall from a horse. The rider was flown to Ninewells Hospital.

A trail bike accident at a racetrack near Kinross saw the team treat and airlift a motorcyclist injured in a collision with another motorcycle. He was flown to Ninewells Hospital with suspected spinal injuries.

SCAA was called to a twocar collision on the A90 north of Dundee, where five people were injured. The crew worked with colleagues from Tayside Trauma Team, Scottish Ambulance Service, Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue before one paramedic travelled with an injured woman, cut free from the wreckage, in a land ambulance to Dundee.

This was an example of bringing additional expert paramedic care quickly to a multi-casualty scene.

SCAA proved its worth in yet another way when it airlifted an emergency medical retrieval service from Glasgow and flew them quickly to Fort William, where a seriously ill patient had to be transported, under critical care, by land to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital at Glasgow.

Another motorcyclist was airlifted by SCAA following a collision on the A93 near Braemar. He was flown from the scene of the twovehicle collision to Ninewells Hospital.

SCAA has flown to medical emergencies on the Isle of Mull twice in the past week. One patient was flown to hospital at Oban and the other for advanced care to the Royal Alexandria Hospital at Paisley.

SCAA also worked with the Medic 1 critical care team from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at the scene of a collision on the A967 near Greenlaw in the Borders.

And the charity-funded helicopter landed on a sports field at Dalmally to attend a nearby medical emergency. The patient was airlifted to hospital care in Glasgow.

A patient injured in a fall saw SCAA scrambled to Almondbank this week, where it assisted with his care.

And the charity’s roadbased rapid response vehicle was deployed to two medical emergencies close to its Perth Airport base as well this week.

Local supporters and fundraisiers continue to hand in much-needed and greatly appreciated donations to SCAA.

Among the donations received in the past week was £10,000 from the Crerar Hotels Trust.

Curry-loving quizzers helped raise £240 for SCAA at a quiz night and games curry evening held recently in the McLean Hall at Fearnan.

And a family fun afternoon organised by The Wheel Inn at Scone saw a further £159.09 head SCAA’s way.

Thanks also to the army of motorcyclists who rode out from SCAA at the weekend on the third annual Biker Bash in aid of the charity. Around 150 motorcyclists and pillion passengers donated £1250 at the event, bringing the total raised for SCAA through the fun rideout to £5964.

John McLean from Kettins made his 60th birthday a fundraising occasion for SCAA and donated £1155 from the event at Keillor Farm. The celebration also marked the 75th anniversary of the family farm.

And a lady from Dunkeld held her 50th birthday party and raised £878.88 for SCAA.

Look out for the SCAA buggies if you attend this weekend’s Gardening Scotland festival at Ingliston.

The charity will be offering lifts in their three buggies from the outlying car parks to the showground and back again.