Landmark number of missions for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance

8^th January 2019

Landmark number of missions for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) has been tasked a total of 25,000 missions since the Charity was founded 21 years ago. This landmark figure was reached on January 1st when the team attended a road traffic collision in Hertfordshire.

EHAAT attended 1,526 patients in 2019, making it the busiest year ever for the Charity’s Critical Care Teams. This is an increase of 35 patients on 2018 when 1,491 patients were treated.

During 2019 EHAAT’s helicopters and rapid response vehicles (RRVs) were dispatched a total of 2,238 times. Medical incidents accounted for 39% of the total, followed by road traffic collisions (21%) and accidental injuries (16%). The remaining 24% included a mix of cases such as assaults and sports/leisure accidents. Blood transfusions, which EHAAT has been able to provide since March, were given to 35 patients.

Stuart Elms, Clinical Director at EHAAT, commented: “The last 12 months have been a hugely significant time for EHAAT.

“We are proud of two key developments over the last year. In March, we began carrying blood products on board our helicopters and RRVs thanks to our partnership with The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow and the Essex Voluntary Blood Service. We have been able to provide potentially life-saving transfusions to 35 patients suffering significant blood loss.

“Since October 2019 our critical care team has been delivering a 24/7 pre-hospital care service to the people of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas using helicopters by day and RRVs by night.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helps us. None of this would be possible without the amazing backing we receive from our supporters and volunteers across both counties and our partners in the NHS and emergency services.”

-ENDS-

Photograph: EHAAT crew at Earls Colne Airbase

Also attached is a soundclip of EHAAT Clinical Director, Stuart Elms

For more information please contact Gavin Sherriff, PR Officer, on 0345 2417 690.

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 the surrounding areas.
• The service is provided free of charge but, unlike NHS emergency services, the Charity receives limited direct funding from the Government and none from the National Lottery. It costs in excess of £750,000 every month to keep the service operational and cover all charitable costs, 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 two Pilots, a Pre-hospital Care Doctor and a Critical Care Paramedic.
• These teams, made up of highly-skilled individuals, attended 1,526 patients in 2019 and are the backbone of your local life-saving Charity.
• The fleet consists of two Air Ambulances, and four rapid response vehicles (RRVs - cars) The RRVs are crewed by a Pre-hospital Care Doctor and a Critical Care Paramedic and carry the same life-saving equipment as the helicopters.

• During the day, from 7am until 8.00pm, the Critical Care Team provides the service using helicopters based at Earls Colne and North Weald. An RRV is used before sunrise, after sunset or when the helicopter is unable to fly because of poor weather or maintenance.
• Overnight from 7.30pm to 7.30am the service is provided using an RRV based at North Weald.