Air Ambulance’s 157 Causeway Coast call outs

That equates to an average of over four calls per month.

Air Ambulance NI is the local charity that provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for Northern Ireland, together with its partners at the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. The service brings urgent medical assistance to anywhere in the province, operating seven days a week for 12 hours per day.

Glenn O’Rorke, Operational Lead for the HEMS said: “The HEMS team have been tasked on 1487 occasions since inception less than three years ago. Your life can change in an instant, trauma is still here and will continue, despite lockdown and more limited activity in society. Whilst the rate of Road Traffic Collisions has slightly reduced, DIY accidents have increased and the rate of farming, industrial and other accidents has remained. We encourage everyone not to take unnecessary risks, yet we realise accidents happen. If that is the case and we are tasked, the air ambulance can reach anywhere in NI in approximately 25 minutes.”

Kerry Anderson, Head of Fundraising with Air Ambulance NI, said: “Air Ambulance NI is your local charity. With your continued support our medics can fly and continue to provide specialist critical care at scene that can be the difference between life and death. Each day £5,500 is needed and like every charity, we are experiencing a massive reduction in fundraising. Yet we know the helicopter service inspires support and if everyone does a little the air ambulance will be here now and for generations to come.”

The charity is very grateful to the Osborne family who were inspired to start a fundraising campaign when their son Simon was treated by the HEMS team after a serious RTC. Whilst many of the family’s original fundraising plans for 2020 have not been possible, they have launched a raffle for a Gucci handbag to be drawn on 10 July 2020.

To be in with a chance of winning donate £5 or more online at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Simons-AANI-Appeal

Another simple way to support the charity is by becoming a member of ‘Club AANI’. Club AANI members donate monthly through direct debit, so it means once this is set up you are consistently supporting and are part of the journey. Over 800 people so far have become members. Join at www.airambulanceni.org. or call the charity on 028 9262 2677.