A9 callout for the SCAA crew

The past two weeks have seen SCAA’s crew spring into action in response to a total of 15 emergencies across Scotland.

Calls for the rapid response team have come from emergencies as far afield as Blair Atholl and Campbeltown with SCAA responding to both serious illness and accident and the need to transfer patients from islands and remote areas to central hospital care.

SCAA flew to the aid of a driver injured when his vehicle left the A9 near the House of Bruar at Blair Atholl and plunged down into a six-foot ditch.

SCAA paramedics worked with road crew colleagues before flying the man - suffering chest and back injuries - to Ninewells Hospital just minutes away by air in Dundee.

And the crew were quickly on scene when a teenage girl fell from her horse near Bridge of Earn sustaining leg injuries. And they also flew to assist at a medical emergency at Lochearnhead.

Further afield, SCAA flew to Glasgow to pick up a critical care team before flying on to an emergency at Dunoon. They then flew the patient – with the trauma team – to the Golden Jubilee Hospital at Clydebank.

And SCAA worked with the trauma team from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at the scene of a forestry accident near North Berwick where a man was injured by a falling tree.

Another long flight saw SCAA make the journey to the Inner Hebridean island of Kererra where they airlifted a patient for hospital treatment at Oban.

SCAA’s rapid response vehicle was also called into action on three occasions in the past fortnight to emergencies close to their Perth Airport base.

Collecting cans placed at premises throughout Scotland continue to bring in much-needed funds from a supportive public.

Among the Perthshire- based cans emptied at SCAA this week were those from: 2 Sisters Food Group, Coupar Angus £40.86; Caledonian Bar, Perth £184.28; Comrie Medical Centre £174.67; The Co-op, Bridge of Earn £38.70; Crieff Visitor Centre £111.70; Ex-Servicemen’s Club, Perth £37.52; Green Welly Stop, Tyndrum £203.25; House of Bruar, Blair Atholl £385; Luvians, Cupar £26.94 and S and D Cura Newsagents, Bridge of Earn £34.19.

And a lady from Rait has been filling a large whisky bottle with copper coins for SCAA which added up to £44.49.

Thanks also to the organisers of – and attenders at – the St Fillans Bi-Centenary Ball which reeled in £850 for SCAA.

Pitlochry Station Bookshop continue their page-turning support of SCAA with a further regular £300 donation – plus an extra £22.50 raised through the sale of SCAA wristbands.

Pupils at Pitlochry High School have donated £50 after selecting SCAA for their Youth Philanthropy Initiative.

And more support came from Pitlochry this week with £1,189 donated by the town’s Co-operative food store following a Bake Sale and till-point collection.

Perth and Strathearn 200 Round Table recently heard a presentation on the work of the country’s only charity-funded air ambulance and followed up with a £1,000 donation to the cause.

Look out for SCAA volunteers at next weekend’s Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace (June 30, July 1 and 2). The team will be hosting a“shop and drop”bag crèche facility and also operating a buggy taxi service from the outlying car parks to the main showground.

Have you been helped by SCAA?

Patients who are willing to share their story and experiences help SCAA to publicise and promote their life-saving service.

Share your story by contacting media@scaa.org. uk