Air Ambulance appeal for help to keep flying

The lifesaving service responded to calls for help 223 times in this area since it was founded three years ago (it has been called out on 1,881 occasions provincewide, an average of twice a day).

Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, Air Ambulance NI has continued to be busy responding to trauma incidents and delivering critical pre-hospital care seven days a week.

Thanking the public for their support the service provided an update of some of recent developments

Paramedic Glenn O’Rorke, Operational Lead for HEMS said, “Despite a tough year, the service has continued to grow achieving key milestones along the way. In January 2020 we began carrying blood on board and on average the crew now administer blood to patients before they reach hospital twice per month. This is a major clinical development and can make a life-changing difference to patients.

“February 2020 saw the opening of the helipad at the Royal Victoria Hospital. The direct landing site reduces patient travelling time by approximately 25 minutes. Once the patient is ready to be transferred from the air ambulance, he/she can be in the Emergency Department in just over two minutes. Our patients continue to be at the centre of all that we do but it isn’t just the medical crew who save lives, it’s also the people who support our service and keep our helicopter flying.”

Local charity representative, Colleen Milligan said, “It is really important for us to send this special message to our supporters across Co Armagh and beyond to thank them and let them know how much their support means to us.

“Quite literally the service would be grounded without you. Last year our fundraising plans were thrown up in the air, with many incredible events cancelled, meanwhile the service needed to continue every single day to reach those patients in need across Northern Ireland. The service did not stop when the events were cancelled, and we really were so inspired by the support of our local community. They walked, ran, hiked, sold masks, had birthday fundraisers, sang and moved mountains to ensure they still fundraised for the service. The Air Ambulance NI volunteers and supporters are like no other, and we are immensely proud to have them as part of the service. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”

The charity’s small team have developed several new projects including a partnership with local solicitors, a primary schools education programme to be launched early 2021 and a new membership programme for children and young people called Junior Club AANI.

At a time when charitable income from events has drastically declined, the charity is encouraging parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents to sign up the children in their life to Junior Club AANI. The cost of the membership is just £5 per month or £50 for an annual membership. It’s a simple way family can involve their kids in something positive and support Air Ambulance NI to ensure the helicopter can keep flying.

To sign up your child to be a Junior Club AANI member, please visit the AANI website www.airambulanceni.org/junior-club-aaani or call 028 9262 2677 or if you would like to sign up to the general Club AANI membership please visit www.airambulanceni/club-aani-membership.

The charity Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service for Northern Ireland. The service brings urgent medical assistance to anywhere in the province, operating seven days a week for 12 hours per day. It can get to anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately twenty-five minutes.

The HEMS team attend patients who are seriously ill or injured, bringing emergency pre-hospital care direct to the casualty with the aim of saving lives, brains and limbs.

Air Ambulance NI needs to raise £2million each year to maintain this service so public donations are crucial.

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