Why Use A Helicopter?

• Because people have accidents in inaccessible places.
• Because the helicopter can cover almost anywhere in the county within nineteen minutes.
• Because it is not held back by congested roads.
• Because it complements the work of land ambulances.
• Because it can be airborne within two minutes of an emergency call
• Because getting people to hospital quickly means faster and better chances of recovery
• Because the helicopter can save lives.
• Because using a helicopter is extremely cost effective.
• The helicopter has twin engines for safety and can fly at 140mph.
• Unique rear doors for quick loading of two stretchers.
• High manoeuvrability and compact size for landing almost anywhere.
• Skid landing gear for coping with rough and soft terrain.
• Main and tail rotors set up high for good obstacle clearance and safety
• 450kg of fuel - over 2 hours' flying time.
• Full range of high tech medical equipment to care for patients in flight.
• Low vibration level gives a smooth and comfortable ride.
• It can land in an area the size of ½ a tennis court.
• It carries diagnostic, resuscitation and ambulance aid equipment.
• It can avoid adverse road conditions, flying is the quickest and easiest way to transport seriously injured or critically ill patients.

THAT'S WHY!!

Many countries now have air ambulance services and the advent of the helicopter has added an extra dimension to the effectiveness of such operations.

In Switzerland, with the increasing interest in winter sports during the early post World War 2 years, the use of air ambulances evolved from the increasing difficulties experienced in mountain rescue work. Initially fixed-wing aircraft were used, landing medical teams with equipment as close as possible to the injured parties so that rapid first aid treatment could be applied prior to evacuation. The major disadvantage was the lack of suitable landing sites close to where the incident had occurred in what was inevitably a mountainous region. To overcome this it was even at one stage proposed to parachute medical personnel with equipment and sledges into the rescue area. Although training was undertaken there is, however, no documentary evidence to suggest that this technique was ever put into practice.

As technology advanced helicopters, because of their greater manoeuvrability and flexibility in being able to land practically anywhere, became more widely used in all

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance

The Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance was launched at a prestigious ceremony at Sherborne Castle on 23 March 2000. It is the third Air Ambulance to be launched in the Westcountry and joins both the Cornwall Air Ambulance and Devon Air Ambulance as weapons in the medical professions armoury.

The new operation is a joint venture between the Westcountry Ambulance Service and the Dorset Ambulance Service, together with the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Charitable Trust - who helps raise funds to keep the helicopter flying.

The two counties lend themselves ideally to a service of this kind, having widely scattered population, many of whom live in remote and isolated rural communities, far distant from the nearest accident and emergency hospital facilities. During the summer months in particular, many of the areas narrow and winding roads become clogged with holiday traffic, making any journey to hospital by conventional means a daunting prospect. The beaches, cliff tops and moorland areas where so many accidents occur; are also frequently inaccessible by road.

Although a fairly new concept in Britain, helicopters in an ambulance capacity have been widely and successfully used in the Westcountry for many years. Because of this, the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance was based largely on the experiences gained in Cornwall and Devon, where two helicopters have been established to cover the counties. Statistics acquired since 1987 have shown that by using helicopters in an air ambulance role: