County Air Ambulance Presentation & Donation 17/06/04
Derbyshire 623MCC is pleased to announce that on the 17th June 2004, Mr David Lindop, a representative of the County Air Ambulance, joined club members at the Royal Oak in Tansley to give a presentation on the excellent work the Air Ambulance undertakes. David also gratefully received a cheque from the 623 MCC for £1,100.00.
David, during the course of his presentation and slideshow, explained that the County Air Ambulance is completely funded by charitable donations. The organisation currently operates three helicopters (Bolkow 105 dbs) which are twin-engined aircraft capable of achieving cruising speeds of 220 kph.
The helicopters are based at RAF Cosford near Wolverhampton, the Roadchef M5 Motorway Service area at Strensham and at East Midlands airport. Between them they serve approximately eight million people within ten counties (Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and Powys). On average one of these Air Ambulances can reach their required destination within eight minutes of receiving a request to attend an incident. Due to the speed of attendance this ensures that critically injured patients receive the care that they require within the ‘Golden Hour’, and hence stand a much greater chance of surviving the trauma suffered.
David also added that ex-military personnel pilot the Air Ambulances, despite the fact that they could demand much higher salaries by working in the commercial sector. Each aircraft is also staffed by two highly trained paramedics, one of whom assists the pilot to navigate.
623MCC members were also made aware that the current cost of funding the Air Ambulance service is approximately £2.4 million (£880,000.00 per helicopter) each year.
The 623MCC’s donation of £1,100.00 was raised mainly by the charity auction conducted at the recent Xmas party (held earlier this year at Lumb Farm). Therefore all members, and the County Air Ambulance Service, would like to thank everyone that attended the 623MCC Xmas Party and enabled us to raise this amount for the service.
The county air ambulance web site can be found by clicking the link below
