Air ambulance team’s warning for spring adventurers

Each day is different for DLRAA, however the number of sporting and outdoor related call outs often increase dramatically at this time of year.

Throughout May 2013 one in five incidents DLRAA attended were related to outdoor sporting accidents.

Just this month, the team from DLRAA were called out to help a 22-year-old man who fell from a tree whilst out and about in the Peak District.

Taking part in activities like cycling, climbing or simply walking your dog is fun, good for you and for most people trouble-free, but there are possible risks.

Air ambulance paramedic Philippa Gibbs has some helpful tips for planning ahead.

Philippa said: “When I am not working at the Air Ambulance I really enjoy taking part in many different outdoor activities, particularly riding my horse. It’s a great time of year to get out and enjoy the nature of the countryside, but it’s important to make sure you stay safe too. I always make sure I check my route before I leave the stables, let someone know where I am going and roughly how long I plan to be out for.”

Beautiful rural areas, perfect for hiking, horse riding and mountain biking are often remote locations which can be extremely difficult for emergency services to reach in a hurry.

This is one reason why the services of local Air Ambulance are relied upon during spring time.

DLRAA’s state of the art Agusta helicopter can travel at speeds up to 185mph and reach many places that are inaccessible to a land ambulance.

To help you stay safe in your community Philippa has some top tips to help you get set for spring.

She added: “if you are taking part in a particular activity, such as cycling or hiking, it is extremely important to make sure you are wearing the correct protective wear and that after a long winter in the garage it is a really good idea to check all safety equipment to make sure it is full working order.

“It only takes a couple of minutes to make these small checks but they can really make a difference to your safety.”

Since the clocks sprung forward at the end of March, DLRAA has been working longer shifts to ensure they are available throughout daylight hours to help as many people as possible.

DLRAA pilots, paramedics and doctors are now on call between 9am and 7pm, seven days a week, whilst sister service Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) is available from 7am until 5pm.

Both Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) work together to provide the best possible cover of critical care, and a rapid means of transport to those who need it most.

DLRAA receives no Government funding and relies entirely on public donations to keep them flying and saving lives.

Please support your Air Ambulance so that their crew can be there for people in your community this spring at their greatest time of need.

To make a donation please call 08454 130999 or visit: www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk/getsetspring.