Surrey Air Ambulance

The Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance can land in locations ranging from back gardens to car parks, golf courses, motorways and school playing fields.

The helicopter is often called to remote and inaccessible areas such as the North and South Downs, dirt tracks and fields to rescue fallen horse riders, mountain bike riders and walkers.

Sometimes the crew will fly from one mission to another or be stood down en route if the patient’s condition is not as serious as first thought.

The need for the air ambulance to attend is assessed at the nearby “nerve centre” at Banstead in Surrey where 999 calls are received.

In the event of a Grade A emergency the helicopter has priority clearance to fly through Gatwick Airport airspace.

On occasions the helicopter attends calls in Kent if its sister Air Ambulance is attending to another patient and vice versa. The Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance also covers parts of Hampshire including Fleet and Aldershot.

In some cases the MD902 helicopter is called to airlift a patient from an inaccessible area to a waiting land ambulance so that they can then be taken to hospital by road.

Common 999 call-outs include road traffic accidents, cardiac arrests and falls from a height (usually more than 10ft) but sometimes stabbings and shootings.

The Air Ambulance was deployed to Deepcut in May 2010. This web site blogged about the incident and got video footage of helicopter taking off. Check out: A rather odd looking vehicle in St Barbara’s Church car park

Earlier this year the air ambulance was called to a spate of sledging accidents following the severe winter and some of the patients were adults, not just children.

During the volcanic ash crisis, the helicopter was grounded amid safety fears so the rapid response car – a former Sussex Police traffic vehicle – was used to attend to calls.

The car is also deployed when the helicopter is undergoing service and maintenance after every 50 flying hours.

The Surrey Air Ambulance crew were featured on BBC documentary Hospital Heroes after airlifting a mountain biker who fell in woods near Dorking.

The male, in his 40s, suffered a life-threatening head injury and was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital in 15 minutes. He is now back at home with his family.

In April, the crew were called to a motocross marshall who was struck by a bike at speed during a race meeting in Petworth. He was taken to Kings College Hospital in 15 minutes.

Bizarre and unusual missions include a male in his 60s who was knocked unconscious by a golf ball and another sportsman struck by a cricket ball.

Earlier this month the medics were also called to a teenager who hit his head against a friend while playing dodgeball.

Following their accidents, some patients visit the Dunsfold base to be reunited with the crew who rescued them which is often an emotional experience for both parties (please see Real Life stories on website).

The Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance is staffed by a pilot, doctor and paramedic, bringing a mini A&E to the scene of an accident or medical emergency.

On average the helicopter flies two to three missions a day but can sometimes be called out as many as six times a day, maybe more. Each flying mission costs between £1,500 and £2,000 so anyone who raises that amount for the charity has effectively helped save a life.

The twin-engine MD902 helicopter is based at Dunsfold Park. It can reach a maximum speed of 150mph at 1,500ft and can fly to the furthest part of the county within just 20 minutes.

This allows patients to be treated within the so-called Golden Hour which can mean the difference between life and death. Using their specialist skills, the medics on board have even performed open-heart surgery at the roadside.

Wherever it lands, the helicopter is never more than seven minutes away from an A&E hospital or a maximum of 38 minutes from the Regional Trauma Centre in London.

So far this year (up to and including June 7, 2010) the helicopter has flown 265 missions compared with 694 last year, 731 in 2008 and 303 in 2007.

In the last year (May 27, 2009 to May 27, 2010) the Air Ambulance has been flown 687 missions including 314 RTCs, 113 medical incidents such as cardiac arrest and strokes, 90 sport and leisure accidents – (75 of which involved horse riding, 12 rugby injuries, three mountain bike accidents), 81 falls from height, 14 industrial accidents and 55 other incidents including assault and train v person, etc.

* If you would like to make a donation to the Air Ambulance please call 01622 833833. Alternatively cheques can be made payable to the Surrey or Sussex Air Ambulance and posted to Wheelbarrow Park Estate, Pattenden Lane, Marden, Kent, TN12 9QJ.

Visit the Surrey Air Ambulance Web site at: www.surreyairambulance.co.uk