Air Ambulance busiest month ever

APRIL was the busiest month ever for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

The helicopter 'Anglia One' flew on 126 missions including flights to 75 road traffic accidents, 11 horse-riding accidents, eight falls and a number of collapses, burns, cardiac arrests, and industrial accidents.

Simon Gray, executive director for the service, said: "Of the 126 missions attended 28 patients were transported to hospital by the air ambulance."

However, the service, a registered charity, admits that technology used by paramedics in Anglia One is beginning to show its age.

Mr Gray said: "The current aircraft has been an excellent workhorse and will be capable of flying for a number of years yet but the technology has moved on as have the clinical requirements.

"The doctors and paramedics serving on Anglia One need greater space to carry out more advanced life saving treatment, which is not practical in the existing aircraft.

"A replacement aircraft might also be suitable for night time flying between hospitals and helipads."

Mr Gray said a fundraising internal lottery scheme set up by the service is proving successful.

He added: "The popularity of the lottery seems to be contagious. Membership is 13,800 and still growing.

"Fundraising is going well but we would like to be able to keep both helicopters in the air, particularly during the summer months when the population of the region doubles, people spend more time outdoors and we are able to fly for more hours due to daylight."

Has the East Anglian Air Ambulance Service rescued you? What do you think of the service? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

For more information about helping the charity visit www.eastanglianairambulance.org.uk