Air Ambulance plans for the future

December 21^st 2018

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance plans for the future

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) has applied for planning permission to build new premises at North Weald in order to secure the future of the North Weald operation of the Charity.

Plans have been submitted to Epping Forest District Council. If the application is successful, the Charity plans to commence building work in 2019 and for this to be complete before October 2020.

Jonathan Trower, Chair of Trustees at EHAAT said: “The decision to proceed with this development, which will cost in the region of £4 million, was taken after long and careful consideration by the Trustees and the Executive Team.

“Having looked at all the options for securing the long term security of our operation, we believe that building our own facility at North Weald is the best way forward. It will give us security of tenure after October 2020, when our current lease expires, and building ourselves results in significant cost savings compared to leasing a new building built to the same specification.

“The Trustees are delighted that it has been possible to produce a design of such high quality which also meets the requirement of being as cost effective as possible.”

In addition to the proposed new Airbase at North Weald, the Charity is considering ways to improve and future-proof facilities at its Earls Colne Airbase.

Cliff Gale, Operations Director at EHAAT said: “As well as providing improved facilities for aircraft, vehicles and crew, the building will give EHAAT security of tenure which will allow us to plan effectively for the future.

“The proposed structure will contain areas for training, mentoring, patient liaison and cross training with other emergency services, which will benefit both EHAAT and the local pre-hospital care community. The new facility will also provide a visitor centre which will allow us to welcome and engage with the local community and space for our Hertfordshire Fundraising Team to work more closely with their clinical colleagues.”

-ENDS-

Attached: An artist’s impression of the new building.

For more information contact Gavin Sherriff, PR Officer, on 0345 2417 690 or 01787 388750.

Notes to Editor:

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) is a Charity that provides a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for the critically ill and injured of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.

The service is provided free of charge but, unlike NHS emergency services, the Charity receives no direct funding from the Government or National Lottery. It costs in excess of £500,000 every month to keep the service operational and saving lives, and this would not be possible without the generosity and goodwill of people and businesses of Essex, Hertfordshire and beyond.

Each of the Charity’s HEMS teams consist of a Pilot, a Co-pilot, a Pre-hospital Care Doctor and a Critical Care Paramedic.

These teams, made up of highly-skilled individuals, tended to 1505 patients in 2017/18 and are the backbone of your local life-saving Charity.

The fleet, consisting of two Air Ambulances, and four Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs - cars) operates seven days a week from 7am to 9pm. After sunset, the Critical Care Team continues to provide the service using Rapid Response Vehicles.

In addition, a Rapid Response Vehicle is operational on a Friday and Saturday evening from 6pm until 2am with a Pre-hospital Care Doctor and Critical Care Paramedic.