How many times have we all sat at home and watched “helicopter heroes” on the television and not thought what it takes to provide such a lifesaving service. In order to keep both of Yorkshire's ambulances in the air the Yorkshire Air Ambulance needs to raise £7200 per day. This is equivalent to £2.65 million per year.
It may surprise you to know that the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity relies on the generosity of individuals and organisations to help save lives across Yorkshire. In fact as a charity they only receive help through secondment of paramedics from the NHS.
The charity was set up in 2000 and with the addition of the second air ambulance in October 2007, they are the only Dedicated Air Desk in the UK. With the addition of the Air Ways Communication Systems, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance has developed into a sophisticated emergency service that provides state-of-the-art emergency medial care throughout Yorkshire. The swift medical interventions provided by the air ambulance crews have a major impact on a patient's chance of survival and subsequent quality of life.
As a rapid response emergency service the charity serves a population of approximately 5 million people across 4 million acres. Their two air ambulances operate from Leeds Bradford International Airport and Sheffield City Heliport and together both air ambulances cover the whole of the region.
Yorkshire’s vast landscape not only includes remote, rural and densely populated areas but also includes major motorways and road networks. The fast medical response that the air ambulance provides is vital to a patient who has received major trauma, especially those with head and spinal injuries, as the air ambulance can avoid traffic congestion and uneven road surfaces.
On average, when a patient has been received by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, they will always be only 10 minutes from the nearest hospital and 15 minutes from the most relevant hospital. In some cases, this can save people's lives.
Our team made up of the staff from Ripon Land Rover have enlisted the help of the Parachute Regiments freefall display team the Red Devils in order to set up an event called “Leap 4 Life”. We are hoping to raise in excess of £10,000 with this appeal which will involve our team conquering their fears and strapping in for what can only be described as a heart pounding skydiving experience of a lifetime with the best in the business!
The location for the event will be Langar airfield in Nottingham and it promises to be a day never to be forgotten. One airfield, one freefall display team and 21 adrenaline fed individuals willing to push their boundaries in the name of charity.
To aid the fund raising we have set up a website through Bmycharity.com, anyone can log on the page and donate to this fantastic charity or follow the link from our website www.bmycharity.com/leap4life |
