Cornwall Air Ambulance celebrates Air Ambulance Week 2022

Cornwall Air Ambulance is proud to be supporting Air Ambulance Week 2022, as it takes off across the UK.

The dedicated week, running from the 5^th to 11^th September, aims to raise awareness of the lifesaving work of air ambulance charities across the country, including right here in the Duchy.

During the national awareness week, organised by Air Ambulances UK, Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust (CAAT) will be joining other air ambulance charities for this year’s campaign – Critical Moments – Lifesaving Difference.

The campaign highlights how your charity makes a lifesaving difference in critical moments. Anyone, anywhere in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly can become a patient at any time. Air ambulance crews bring the skills and expertise of a hospital to the scene of an emergency, performing complex procedures using advanced equipment and drugs that improve survival rates.

In 2020, CAAT welcomed your new AW169 helicopter, thanks to the generosity of the people of Cornwall and beyond. The aircraft gives the crew 360-degree access to the patient and the critical care paramedics can even administer blood transfusions and specialist drugs. Your helicopter can fly in darkness and is operational 19 hours a day, 365 days a year, along with the two Rapid Response Vehicles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCTyrs94HKw

Steve Garvey, Air Operations Officer at Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: “The faster we can reach a patient and treat them, the better their chances of survival are. In the AW169 helicopter we can be at the scene on average in just 12 minutes in mainland Cornwall and less than 30 minutes on the Isles of Scilly. This enables us to commence rapid treatment improving the patient’s outcome.”

Cornwall Air Ambulance is tasked to around 1,000 missions every year, which is an average of three every single day, forming an important part of the emergency services making a lifesaving difference.

Each helicopter mission costs on average around £5,000 and is funded almost entirely by the generosity of local communities.

Your charity is calling on people all over Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to support them during Air Ambulance Week 2022, to ensure it can continue to save people’s lives.

Tim Bunting, Chief Executive of Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: “We are incredibly proud to be part of Air Ambulance Week 2022, to highlight the amazing work air ambulance charities do across the UK. Your AW169 helicopter really allows the crew to bring the hospital to the patient with state-of-the-art equipment that is not found on land ambulances, meaning specialist paramedics can provide critical care when you need it most.”

Cornwall Air Ambulance receives no direct government funding and would not be able to keep flying without the generosity of the local community. You can help save lives by donating here – Donate – Cornwall Air Ambulance (cornwallairambulancetrust.org)