Devon Air Ambulance Trust
Encyclopedia
The Devon Air Ambulance is an organisation providing emergency medical services
through the provision of two helicopter
air ambulance
s covering the county of Devon
in the South West
of England
, United Kingdom
. The helicopters are run by the Devon Air Ambulance Trust, which is a registered charity
, raising money from public and private donations in excess of £3m every year.
.
The service went into operation on 27 August 1992, covering the entirety of the county of Devon
, including the rural and inaccessible moors of Exmoor
and Dartmoor
. The trust currently operates two helicopter
s and can reach 50% of locations in Devon within 5 minutes of taking to the air, with remaining locations accessible within 15 minutes.
models, although of different model years, from two different airfields, in order to maximise coverage of the county. Both helicopters fly for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The South Devon helicopter is located along with the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
helicopter at Police headquarters at Middlemoor, near Exeter
, having previously been based at Exeter International Airport
. The aircraft is registered G-DVAA, and was purchased in 2008 for around £3.3m.
The North Devon helicopter is located at Eaglescott Airfeld, previously at Belle Vue Airfield, near Great Torrington
. Its registration is G-DAAT.
, who provide the paramedics that fly with the trust on secondment.
The trust receives no funding from any government body, instead relying on voluntary donations and the business generated by its shops to meet its running costs of around £2.2 million per year. one of the aircraft ( G-DAAT ) is leased from and maintained by Bond Air Services Ltd, who also provide the pilots and engineers.
who named the Trust as her chosen charity during her appearance in the show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. The money raised enabled the Trust to buy a GPS moving map system for the helicopter.
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
through the provision of two helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
s covering the county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
in the South West
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The helicopters are run by the Devon Air Ambulance Trust, which is a registered charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, raising money from public and private donations in excess of £3m every year.
Formation and history
The Devon Air Ambulance Trust was formed by Ann Thomas, in memory of her son, 18-year-old Ceri Thomas, who was fatally injured in a road traffic collision in 1986. At hospital, his mother learned that the quicker a patient receives hospital treatment, the greater that patient's chances of survival. Subsequently, she started a campaign to launch an air ambulance service for DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
The service went into operation on 27 August 1992, covering the entirety of the county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, including the rural and inaccessible moors of Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
and Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
. The trust currently operates two helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s and can reach 50% of locations in Devon within 5 minutes of taking to the air, with remaining locations accessible within 15 minutes.
Organisation
The trust currently operates two aircraft, both Eurocopter EC135T2Eurocopter EC135
The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...
models, although of different model years, from two different airfields, in order to maximise coverage of the county. Both helicopters fly for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The South Devon helicopter is located along with the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Police, formerly Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Devon and Cornwall in England and the unitary authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly....
helicopter at Police headquarters at Middlemoor, near Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, having previously been based at Exeter International Airport
Exeter International Airport
Exeter International Airport is an airport located at Clyst Honiton in the District of East Devon close to the city of Exeter and within the county of Devon, South West England....
. The aircraft is registered G-DVAA, and was purchased in 2008 for around £3.3m.
The North Devon helicopter is located at Eaglescott Airfeld, previously at Belle Vue Airfield, near Great Torrington
Great Torrington
Great Torrington is a small market town in the north of Devon, England. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to the River Torridge below...
. Its registration is G-DAAT.
Role
The Trust's mission statement is: "To relieve sickness and injury in the county of Devon by assisting with the provision of an Air Ambulance service". The trust provides air ambulance cover for the entire county, in association with the South Western Ambulance ServiceSouth Western Ambulance Service
The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is the authority responsible for providing ambulance services for the National Health Service in the English counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset...
, who provide the paramedics that fly with the trust on secondment.
The trust receives no funding from any government body, instead relying on voluntary donations and the business generated by its shops to meet its running costs of around £2.2 million per year. one of the aircraft ( G-DAAT ) is leased from and maintained by Bond Air Services Ltd, who also provide the pilots and engineers.
Notable donations
One of the helicopters (G-DAAT) bears the signature of television presenter Jennie BondJennie Bond
Jennifer "Jennie" Bond is an English journalist and television presenter. She worked for fourteen years as the BBC's royal correspondent. She has most recently hosted Cash in the Attic and narrated the five series programme, Great British Menu.-Early career:She was educated at St...
who named the Trust as her chosen charity during her appearance in the show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. The money raised enabled the Trust to buy a GPS moving map system for the helicopter.
See also
- Air Ambulances in the United KingdomAir Ambulances in the United KingdomThere are a number of air ambulance services in the United Kingdom using either helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft. Thirty helicopters, all operated by commercial companies and funded by charitable organisations, cover England and Wales...
- Cornwall Air AmbulanceCornwall Air AmbulanceThe Cornwall Air Ambulance is a dedicated helicopter emergency service for the English county of Cornwall. The helicopter flies approximately 1000 missions per annum, having flown over 20,000 missions. When introduced on 1 April 1987, Cornwall's Air ambulance became the first dedicated Helicopter...
- Dorset and Somerset Air AmbulanceDorset and Somerset Air AmbulanceThe Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is a registered charity, which uses a helicopter to provide an air ambulance service to the English counties of Dorset and Somerset. The air ambulance came into service in March 2000, following the success of similar schemes, such as Devon Air Ambulance Trust...
- Devon and Cornwall Constabulary air support unit
External links
- Devon Air Ambulance Trust
- www.AirAmbulanceCharities.co.uk - The Association of Air Ambulance Charities