Still flying to the rescue

Doesn’t time fly? Twenty years ago this week a new charity was f ormed to help save lives across East Anglia – the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA).

Operating initially just one day a week on a Friday with one paramedic, this was the start of an important lifeline for many local people.

EAAA has grown quickly over 20 years to operate two helicopters across the region, which now carry a highlyskilled emergency medicine doctor and a critical care paramedic.

By 2007, EAAA was based at Cambridge airport as well as Norwich, andtheintroduction of the Anglia Two helicopter gave better cover to Cambridgeshire and started serving Bedfordshire.

No matter what the type o f m e d i c a l e m e r g e n c y, EAAA quickly takes the A&E department to the patient and gets them to the most appropriate hospital for their needs, to give them the best chance of survival.

This week, which is also Air Ambulance Week, EAAA has thanked the community for the support that keeps it airborne and revealed that over the last 20 years it has flownalmost30,000 missions and helped 20,000 patients.

The charity needs around £13 million a year to develop and deliver its service.

CEO Patrick Peal said: “EAAA is a unique lifeline for anyone in East Anglia. We are incredibly proud to be here today, having kept flying throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, and to see such a high need for our crews over the last few months.

“We know we’re providing an essential service for the people of East Anglia and

we’reso, so, thankfulforallthe supportwehavereceivedover the last 20 years.

“Wereally couldn’t behere without the community that funds our lifesaving workand we have many fantastic supporters in Peterborough.

“A huge heartfelt thank you from all of us to everyone whohassupportedusoverthe years.”

EAAA has re l eased a short film that explores how the service has grown and showcases someofthepeople it has helped.

To watch, go to www.eaaa. org.uk/20years

Today, EAAA treats more than 1,700 patients a year and is operational 24/7 by rapid response vehicle.

Next year, i t plans t o extend its helicopter service to 24/7 coverage, to ensure the provision of the very best emergency care to those in need, whenever it is needed.

The c harity does not receive regular Government funding and is kept airborne thanks to local people.

EAAA is inviting supporters to j oin i n the Together We Run ‘ virtual’ 2 , 000- mile f undraising drive from September 14-20 to help keep EAAA’s yellow helicopters operational.

Pledgehowmanymilesyou can walk or run over the week tosupportEAAAandtakepart whenever and wherever you like.

Sign up by midnight on Sunday, September 13, to join one of the Together We Run virtual teams and for your miles to count towards the final total.

For more information and tosignup, gotowww.eaaa.org. uk/werun

Winning team – the doctors, paramedics and flight crews that are saving lives across East Anglia from their two bases at Norwich and Cambridge.

A new BK117 helicopter was purchased in 2006 and remained in service at EAAA until 2011.

The team was called into action when a man fell from a roof in Lavenham, Suffolk, in 2004.