Our summer of sport is well underway and with the Olympics less than two months away, support in Team GB and interest in London 2012 is reaching fever pitch.
Rebecca Adlington, Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Jessica Ennis – all names that the British public are becoming very familiar with as the Olympics come further as we pin our hopes of victory on them.
Each member of Team GB who wins a gold medal will be rightfully applauded and heralded as a hero.
But amongst all the fuss and fanfare of the Games, remarkable stories are also emerging about heroic members of the public.
Take for instance Tony Woodhouse. Tony lost his leg in a motorcycle accident in 2010. Determined not to dwell on what he has lost, he has instead turned in accident into a positive and began fundraising for The Air Ambulance Service (TAAS) after we treated him on the scene of the horrific incident. As a result of his fundraising efforts, Tony was nominated to carry the Olympic torch and will do so on 2nd July through his home town of Rugby, something he is looking forward to greatly:
“It is such an honour to carry the torch. I want the day to be a special one for my family, friends and colleagues who have supported me so much over the last two years. I also want to use the opportunity to raise awareness of the fantastic work that The Air Ambulance Service does every day. Without them, I would not be here today and I will be forever grateful for this.”
Tony is not the only supporter of TAAS who will be carrying the torch.
Today, Martin Handley will carry the torch through the streets of Ashbourne.
Martin’s son and wife were involved in a road accident in 2010, attended to by TAAS. Tragically, his son lost his life. However, Martin has set about fundraising for the Charity, and was nominated to carry the torch by a friend because of his fundraising efforts.
Here at TAAS, we’re incredibly proud of both Martin and Tony – they are both fully deserved of a stint carrying the torch, and we’re extremely grateful for the support that they show us despite the challenges they have faced in their lives.
We’re also pleased for our Ambassador James Toseland (double World Superbike champion) who will be carrying the torch on its final stint in Derbyshire today, and lighting an Olympic cauldron at Darley Abbey Park.
Our shops will also be getting involved in Olympic celebrations. There will be Olympic theme shop displays and our volunteers will be on hand to give out TAAS ponchos to those watching the torch relay in case of bad weather.
So if you’re off to watch the Olympic torch as it visits your town over the next few days, make sure you give an extra loud cheer for Martin, Tony and James! All of them doing their bit to ensure our lifesaving service remains in the skies.
Friday, 29 June 2012
Thursday, 28 June 2012
See the world from a different angle...
Welcome to our second post in the 'See the world from a different angle...' series. For those of you that missed the last one - this is where we will be sharing some of the aerial photos we have from when our helicopters are out flying.
So if you like helicopters, support the work of The Air Ambulance Service, or quite simply enjoy nice photography and like our photos, please share this blog with your friends.
If there are any particular photos you would like to see, please leave a comment - all feedback is welcome.
So if you like helicopters, support the work of The Air Ambulance Service, or quite simply enjoy nice photography and like our photos, please share this blog with your friends.
If there are any particular photos you would like to see, please leave a comment - all feedback is welcome.
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Introducing... our Ambassadors
We'll be using our blog to introduce you to a variety of personnel associated with The Air Ambulance Service. From our pilots, to our paramedics, to our office staff and fundraisers - as well as our volunteers and shop staff - this Air Ambulance blog will give you an insight into who we are, what we do and why we do it.
In our first Introducing... post, we introduce you to our celebrity ambassadors. Here they explain why they have chosen to sign up to support the Charity.
Mike Tindall
Rugby player Mike Tindall MBE is a supporter of TAAS because of our lifesaving work and in particular the close connection to rugby. Due to the physical nature of the sport, we often attend to many rugby players who have received serious head, neck and spinal injuries.
Mike says: “Throughout my career I have been aware that there have been many serious and potentially life threatening injuries on the rugby pitch, The Air Ambulance Service are the angels of the sky, their dedication and commitment to saving countless lives is truly heroic and humbling to witness in action.”
Simon Le Bon
Simon is particularly keen to support TAAS after he himself was rescued from a near death experience by a helicopter.
He says: "It's vitally important for us to have an Air Ambulance Service in Great Britain.
"The Air Ambulance Service is designed to come to the aid of those in need of emergency medical attention, in places where a regular ambulance and its attendant paramedics would not be able to arrive in time to administer the rapid response care that so often saves lives."
Charley Boorman
"As someone who is passionate about motorcycles and adventure, I know how important it is to help support the valuable work of The Air Ambulance Service raising awareness and funds so that they can continue to provide the very best emergency medical care and attention.”
James Toseland
“Having been involved in a serious motorbike accident myself where I was airlifted by an Air Ambulance, I know firsthand the incredible work that these people do day in day out. Like many other people and fellow motorcyclists I owe a debt of gratitude for being in the safest possible hands and receiving the very best clinical care and attention at the time.
“I know how important it is to help support the valuable work of The Air Ambulance Service raising awareness and funds so that they can continue to provide the very best emergency medical care and attention.”
In our first Introducing... post, we introduce you to our celebrity ambassadors. Here they explain why they have chosen to sign up to support the Charity.
Mike Tindall
Rugby player Mike Tindall MBE is a supporter of TAAS because of our lifesaving work and in particular the close connection to rugby. Due to the physical nature of the sport, we often attend to many rugby players who have received serious head, neck and spinal injuries.
Mike says: “Throughout my career I have been aware that there have been many serious and potentially life threatening injuries on the rugby pitch, The Air Ambulance Service are the angels of the sky, their dedication and commitment to saving countless lives is truly heroic and humbling to witness in action.”
Simon Le Bon
Simon is particularly keen to support TAAS after he himself was rescued from a near death experience by a helicopter.
He says: "It's vitally important for us to have an Air Ambulance Service in Great Britain.
"The Air Ambulance Service is designed to come to the aid of those in need of emergency medical attention, in places where a regular ambulance and its attendant paramedics would not be able to arrive in time to administer the rapid response care that so often saves lives."
Charley Boorman
"As someone who is passionate about motorcycles and adventure, I know how important it is to help support the valuable work of The Air Ambulance Service raising awareness and funds so that they can continue to provide the very best emergency medical care and attention.”
James Toseland
“Having been involved in a serious motorbike accident myself where I was airlifted by an Air Ambulance, I know firsthand the incredible work that these people do day in day out. Like many other people and fellow motorcyclists I owe a debt of gratitude for being in the safest possible hands and receiving the very best clinical care and attention at the time.
“I know how important it is to help support the valuable work of The Air Ambulance Service raising awareness and funds so that they can continue to provide the very best emergency medical care and attention.”
To find out more information about our Ambassadors, please visit our site.
Where am I?
You seemed to enjoy our photos the other day so here are a few more of our Air Ambulances in different locations. No prizes for guessing where we are but feel free to have a go!
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Monday, 25 June 2012
Business With Pleasure: Birmingham
On Thursday 21st June, The Air Ambulance Service hosted their inaugural Birmingham Business with Pleasure event at Bank restaurant and bar, Brindley Place, with celebrity guest appearances from Roger Lloyd Pack, Noddy Holder, Nick Mason and Barry McGuigan.
Business With Pleasure are high-end events incorporate networking opportunities, fine food and aspirational speakers to produce a truly unmissable experience for any corporate organisation.
The event was attended by various members of the Birmingham business community including groups from Hettle Andrews, Barclays, Wealth Solutions and Smith Cooper; and guests were given the chance to put their questions to the celebrity guests following the sumptuous three course meal.
The final amount raised from the event has yet to be confirmed but Corporate Relations Officer Kirsty Wayness said: "Bank proved to be a fantastic addition to our Business with Pleasure venues - the atmosphere was vibrant and both celebrities and business guests had a fantastic time, while raising money for a very worthy cause. The Air Ambulance Service receives no National Lottery or Government funding so support from local businesses through events such as this is invaluable to keeping our lifesaving service in the sky."
For more information on Business With Pleasure, please visit our website.
Business With Pleasure are high-end events incorporate networking opportunities, fine food and aspirational speakers to produce a truly unmissable experience for any corporate organisation.
The event was attended by various members of the Birmingham business community including groups from Hettle Andrews, Barclays, Wealth Solutions and Smith Cooper; and guests were given the chance to put their questions to the celebrity guests following the sumptuous three course meal.
The final amount raised from the event has yet to be confirmed but Corporate Relations Officer Kirsty Wayness said: "Bank proved to be a fantastic addition to our Business with Pleasure venues - the atmosphere was vibrant and both celebrities and business guests had a fantastic time, while raising money for a very worthy cause. The Air Ambulance Service receives no National Lottery or Government funding so support from local businesses through events such as this is invaluable to keeping our lifesaving service in the sky."
For more information on Business With Pleasure, please visit our website.
MISSION MONDAY
Weekends tend to be the busiest days of the week for The Air Ambulance Service as people go out and about enjoying different activities rather staying holed up in an office.
Every Monday we’ll be bringing you a roundup of some the missions that we have attended over the weekend and any ones of particular interest from the previous week.
Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA)
WNAA, aka Helimed 53, airlifted a 14-year-old girl to University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) after she fell from a horse in Southam on Saturday. Equestrian accidents make up approximately 11% of our missions with horse riding accidents often requiring an Air Ambulance call out because a helicopter can lead to a more stable journey – crucial if the casualty is suffering back injuries.
A more unusual incident was one WNAA attended on Saturday morning – they were called to a stabbing in Coventry. The casualty was suffering from a laceration to his face and WNAA assisted with the treatment of him. A WNAA paramedic then travelled with the casualty in a land ambulance to UHCW.
WNAA attended an incident in Leicestershire on Saturday when a car came off the race track at Bruntingthorpe, injuring three people. WNAA treated two of the casualties, providing pain relief and immobilising them – with all three patients being conveyed to hospital by land ambulance.
Sister service Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance were on another rescue at the time, hence WNAA’s call out to Leicestershire. This is a perfect example of how the two Air Ambulances can work in tangent together.
Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA)
So what have DLRAA, also known as Helimed 54, been up to over the last week?
On Monday they were called to attend a casualty who had suffered head injuries after falling from a step ladder in Stamford. Although the casualty, a 52-year-old male, initially seemed alert, his condition began to deteriorate. DLRAA had a doctor on board and so were able to put the casualty into a medical coma to stop his condition deteriorating further. They then flew him to UHCW for specialist treatment and surgery.
This is just one type of advanced medical procedure that our on board doctors can perform at the scene of accidents – improving a patient’s chances of survival and recovery.
Over the weekend, DLRAA attended another step ladder incident, this time in Coalville.
They also airlifted a motorcyclist who had broken his leg while participating in an off road Motocross event.
For further details on all of these rescues plus others that we have attended in the past, please visit our websites by following the links on the right.
Every Monday we’ll be bringing you a roundup of some the missions that we have attended over the weekend and any ones of particular interest from the previous week.
Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA)
WNAA, aka Helimed 53, airlifted a 14-year-old girl to University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) after she fell from a horse in Southam on Saturday. Equestrian accidents make up approximately 11% of our missions with horse riding accidents often requiring an Air Ambulance call out because a helicopter can lead to a more stable journey – crucial if the casualty is suffering back injuries.
A more unusual incident was one WNAA attended on Saturday morning – they were called to a stabbing in Coventry. The casualty was suffering from a laceration to his face and WNAA assisted with the treatment of him. A WNAA paramedic then travelled with the casualty in a land ambulance to UHCW.
WNAA attended an incident in Leicestershire on Saturday when a car came off the race track at Bruntingthorpe, injuring three people. WNAA treated two of the casualties, providing pain relief and immobilising them – with all three patients being conveyed to hospital by land ambulance.
Sister service Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance were on another rescue at the time, hence WNAA’s call out to Leicestershire. This is a perfect example of how the two Air Ambulances can work in tangent together.
Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA)
So what have DLRAA, also known as Helimed 54, been up to over the last week?
On Monday they were called to attend a casualty who had suffered head injuries after falling from a step ladder in Stamford. Although the casualty, a 52-year-old male, initially seemed alert, his condition began to deteriorate. DLRAA had a doctor on board and so were able to put the casualty into a medical coma to stop his condition deteriorating further. They then flew him to UHCW for specialist treatment and surgery.
This is just one type of advanced medical procedure that our on board doctors can perform at the scene of accidents – improving a patient’s chances of survival and recovery.
Over the weekend, DLRAA attended another step ladder incident, this time in Coalville.
They also airlifted a motorcyclist who had broken his leg while participating in an off road Motocross event.
For further details on all of these rescues plus others that we have attended in the past, please visit our websites by following the links on the right.
Friday, 22 June 2012
See the world from a different angle...
Everyone loves a good photo and here at The Air Ambulance Service we're lucky enough to be able to take photos at a slightly different angle - ie. from the sky!
Every so often we'll be sharing some images with you that we take while we're out on rescues - or some of our helicopter looking particuarly stunning.
Please feel free to let us know the type of photos you would like us to share with you and we'll see what we can do, but to get this feature of the ground (see what we did there?!) here's a birds eye view photo of the Royal Derby Hospital:
Every so often we'll be sharing some images with you that we take while we're out on rescues - or some of our helicopter looking particuarly stunning.
Please feel free to let us know the type of photos you would like us to share with you and we'll see what we can do, but to get this feature of the ground (see what we did there?!) here's a birds eye view photo of the Royal Derby Hospital:
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Doctor, doctor!
Doctors are a hot topic today on the eve of the planned industrial action by some in the profession.
There has been a lot of talk about how much disruption this will cause across the country – with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley warning that more than a million people could be affected by the first industrial action by doctors for almost 40 years.
It’s not a surprise that this has got everyone talking, and everyone seems to have different views on whether it is right or wrong. All this debate and interest in tomorrow’s planned industrial action shows one thing for sure – how much we rely on doctors.
Here at The Air Ambulance Service, we know how important doctors can be, and that’s why we routinely carry them on board as part of our Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).
Our paramedics do an absolutely vital job, saving lives every single day with the treatment that they give to casualties. But routinely carrying doctors on board is also advantageous to the casualties that we treat and transfer.
Take for instance yesterday – Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA) were called out to someone who had sustained a head injury. When they arrived, they realised the casualty had deteriorated and that it was actually quite a serious head injury. As there was a doctor on board the Air Ambulance, DLRAA were able to put the casualty into a medically induced coma (using a procedure called an RSI for those of you who know your medical stuff!). This stabilised the condition of the casualty for the flight to the hospital.
Doctors can provide advanced treatments and can also administer more painkillers than paramedics are authorised to do.
By carrying doctors on board, we are well and truly bringing the hospital to the scene of an accident or injury.
'The doctor will see you now'... Not your typical doctor's office!
There has been a lot of talk about how much disruption this will cause across the country – with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley warning that more than a million people could be affected by the first industrial action by doctors for almost 40 years.
It’s not a surprise that this has got everyone talking, and everyone seems to have different views on whether it is right or wrong. All this debate and interest in tomorrow’s planned industrial action shows one thing for sure – how much we rely on doctors.
Here at The Air Ambulance Service, we know how important doctors can be, and that’s why we routinely carry them on board as part of our Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).
Our paramedics do an absolutely vital job, saving lives every single day with the treatment that they give to casualties. But routinely carrying doctors on board is also advantageous to the casualties that we treat and transfer.
Doctors can provide advanced treatments and can also administer more painkillers than paramedics are authorised to do.
By carrying doctors on board, we are well and truly bringing the hospital to the scene of an accident or injury.
'The doctor will see you now'... Not your typical doctor's office!
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Football crazy
It’s that time of the year where everyone goes a little bit football crazy.
Wall charts are up across offices, houses are draped in flags, and the television seems to be full of just one thing.
That’s right it’s Euro 2012 – the time of year where football fans put their lives on hold for three weeks with their only focus being the next match.
Of course, it’s not just every other year that England gets a little bit excited about 22 people kicking a ball around a pitch. England is a nation of football lovers – and with the evenings getting lighter and the sun coming out – more of us take to the field ourselves to have a kick about.
The Football League may be taking a break for the summer, but there is no such break across the fields, parks and school playgrounds of England – and as with any sport, injury is unfortunately bound to occur at some point.
It is at this time of year when The Air Ambulance Service notices a change in the call outs.
The broken collar bones and neck injuries of rugby matches decrease, and instead we see an increase in football related call outs.
One type of injury that can occur during a game of football that may require an Air Ambulance is a broken femur.
As well as being incredibly painful, the femur is close to a major artery and can lead to substantial blood loss.
Football can seem harmless enough but injuries such as this can be very serious and potentially life threatening due to the loss of blood that can occur.
For an example of such a tale, please visit our website where you can read all about Adam Browlett, a football mad youngster who broke his femur during a kick-about –
http://www.wnaa.co.uk/how-you-can-help/adams-story
Sports injuries account for approximately 9% of all of our calls outs and it is vital to ensure that these casualties receive the pre hospital care they need and that they are quickly transported to the nearest specialist hospital.
So if you are playing football over the summer, make sure you have fun, and stay safe!
Come on England!
Wall charts are up across offices, houses are draped in flags, and the television seems to be full of just one thing.
That’s right it’s Euro 2012 – the time of year where football fans put their lives on hold for three weeks with their only focus being the next match.
Of course, it’s not just every other year that England gets a little bit excited about 22 people kicking a ball around a pitch. England is a nation of football lovers – and with the evenings getting lighter and the sun coming out – more of us take to the field ourselves to have a kick about.
The Football League may be taking a break for the summer, but there is no such break across the fields, parks and school playgrounds of England – and as with any sport, injury is unfortunately bound to occur at some point.
It is at this time of year when The Air Ambulance Service notices a change in the call outs.
The broken collar bones and neck injuries of rugby matches decrease, and instead we see an increase in football related call outs.
One type of injury that can occur during a game of football that may require an Air Ambulance is a broken femur.
As well as being incredibly painful, the femur is close to a major artery and can lead to substantial blood loss.
Football can seem harmless enough but injuries such as this can be very serious and potentially life threatening due to the loss of blood that can occur.
For an example of such a tale, please visit our website where you can read all about Adam Browlett, a football mad youngster who broke his femur during a kick-about –
http://www.wnaa.co.uk/how-you-can-help/adams-story
Sports injuries account for approximately 9% of all of our calls outs and it is vital to ensure that these casualties receive the pre hospital care they need and that they are quickly transported to the nearest specialist hospital.
So if you are playing football over the summer, make sure you have fun, and stay safe!
Come on England!
Monday, 18 June 2012
Our film
So maybe you've seen our helicopters flying past your house, or you've read about us in the paper.
Maybe you've even ventured as far as our websites (something I'd definitely recommend if you want more information!)
But do you really know what The Air Ambulance Service is all about and just why we're so important?
Take a look at our short film (below) which should give you a better idea of what we do, and also features a few famous faces! Enjoy.
Welcome aboard!
Welcome to The Air Ambulance Service’s first ever blog post!
This blog will cover a variety of topics, from our views on Air Ambulance related news stories, to round ups of the rescues we’ve been on, to what our staff members get up to on a day to day basis.
So if you have an interest in working in the charity sector and want to know what it’s like, or if you perhaps fancy one day flying a helicopter, or if you have a general interest in the emergency services and the work of Air Ambulances - then this blog is for you!
We’ll be talking about what our crews have been up to in the week and bringing you stories from across the organisation – whether that’s from our fundraising team, our events team, or from people who have been rescued by us.
We are happy to take on board feedback from you – so if there is something in particular you’d like us to post about, please feel free to leave a comment and we will see what we can do.
This is an exciting time for The Air Ambulance Service – we are continuing to expand at a rapid rate and having taken over The Children’s Air Ambulance in December, we are looking forward to it becoming fully operational at the end of this year.
We’re also continuing to provide an excellent Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) at the scene of accidents and illnesses – preventing loss of life and alleviating sickness through sister services Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance, who also work together to provide HEMS on the scene of major accidents.
So stay tuned to our blog to make sure you get the low down on everything happening within The Air Ambulance – and feel free to share our blog with your families and friends so that they too can hear all about our work.
This blog will cover a variety of topics, from our views on Air Ambulance related news stories, to round ups of the rescues we’ve been on, to what our staff members get up to on a day to day basis.
So if you have an interest in working in the charity sector and want to know what it’s like, or if you perhaps fancy one day flying a helicopter, or if you have a general interest in the emergency services and the work of Air Ambulances - then this blog is for you!
We’ll be talking about what our crews have been up to in the week and bringing you stories from across the organisation – whether that’s from our fundraising team, our events team, or from people who have been rescued by us.
We are happy to take on board feedback from you – so if there is something in particular you’d like us to post about, please feel free to leave a comment and we will see what we can do.
This is an exciting time for The Air Ambulance Service – we are continuing to expand at a rapid rate and having taken over The Children’s Air Ambulance in December, we are looking forward to it becoming fully operational at the end of this year.
We’re also continuing to provide an excellent Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) at the scene of accidents and illnesses – preventing loss of life and alleviating sickness through sister services Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance, who also work together to provide HEMS on the scene of major accidents.
So stay tuned to our blog to make sure you get the low down on everything happening within The Air Ambulance – and feel free to share our blog with your families and friends so that they too can hear all about our work.
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