Brand new Midlands £9m air ambulance has already attended ten incidents since taking off
A brand new air ambulance purchased at a cost of £9 million was called out to ten incidents across the West Midlands region in its first week of service.
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The Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s brand new H145 helicopter which carries the registration G-HMAA, went into service on January 1 with the crew helping a number of patients who were in cardiac arrest and one patient who had a serious fall.
In its first week of operations the crew comprising an experienced pilot and two critical care paramedics were called out to help patients across the West Midlands, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire.
The new spacious five blade air ambulance is the charity's third wholly-owned helicopter and has replaced the organisation’s last leased aircraft from Babcock International Group.
It is based at the charity’s Tatenhill airbase near Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire and the advanced clinical crew will be dispatched daily to patients who need enhanced care rapidly on scene, before being taken to hospital.
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity critical care paramedic Allister McNeil, who was on duty when the new helicopter came into service, said: “It was an honour to be on shift on our new helicopter’s first day of operation and we are already seeing the benefit of the new aircraft.
"The larger interior and even smoother flight due to the aircraft having five blades will aid our ability to give patients the best treatment during their onward transfer to hospital.”
The new H145 has been funded through careful financial planning, support from the communities and businesses within the region and two generous grant giving organisations, Denise Coates Foundation and The Kildare Trust.
