Frome Lions were recently invited to visit the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance base, following their successful Charity Sporting Dinner which raised £26,000 for the charity.
During their visit, the Lions saw the helicopter and the vital equipment the air ambulance carries. There was also an emergency call for help and the Lions saw at close range the helicopter taking off on its mission.
“Shortly afterwards, it was stood down and returned to base,” said Lion, Mike Geake. “Earlier during the visit, the pilot had said that the policy was always for the air ambulance to launch as soon as possible after getting a call and, if circumstances changed, they would abort the flight.”
The air ambulance charity provides life-saving critical care and rapid transfers for the most seriously ill and injured people across the region. The expert teams of consultant-level doctors and specialist practitioners deliver hospital-level treatment, directly at the scene of an incident and are tasked by a dedicated Helicopter Emergency Medica Service (HEMS) desk in the ambulance service control centre to the most serious patients in the region.
For patients experiencing catastrophic blood loss, the crews carry and administer blood products at scene and on route to hospital. “This can be the difference between life and death, stabilising patients and giving them a fighting chance of survival,” explained Mike.
The air ambulance is funded by charitable donations. Last year, they responded to 2,909 missions, with each mission costing £3,500. Of these, 1,397 used the AW169 helicopter and critical care car, while 1,512 used their outreach cars.
Pictured: President Dan Norris and wife Jane along with Lions Frank Collins, Mark Symes, Frank Russell, Mike Geake and Peter Rumming along with crew.
