Wiltshire Air Ambulance
Encyclopedia
The Wiltshire Air Ambulance or Wiltshire Police Helicopter, is an air ambulance
and police helicopter which responds to seriously ill or injured casualties and police incidents across Wiltshire
. It is the only helicopter service in the country to be shared between the police and ambulance, therefore reducing costs which would arise if there were two separate vehicles.
The service was formed in 1990 by the NHS Wiltshire
and Wiltshire Police, as a way to respond to emergencies faster in Wiltshire
, where accidents are usually in remote rural places.
and Wiltshire Police. The venture that was started in 1990 costs £1.5 million a year, 66% is funded by Wiltshire Police and the other 33% is funded by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal. The WAA receives no government funding or grants and no lottery grants, it is funded 100% by the people of Wiltshire
.
The size of Wiltshire and required funding means that every citizen costs 50pence each year.
In 2009 Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal made £987,077, an increase of £265,898 from 2008 and spent £771,271, an increase £132,274 from 2008.
The helicopter primarily serves Wiltshire
and can scramble in less than 2 minutes and reach anywhere in the county within 12 minutes, although it can reach most destinations in less than 7 minutes. It can also assist outside Wiltshire when required.
Its ambulance call sign is 'Helimed 65' and its police call sign is 'Whisky Hotel 99'. It's registration is G-WPAS
In 2009 the helicopter attended 1267 incidents, made up of 617 police incidents and 650 medical incidents, of which 306 were conveyed to hospital.
Before April 2010 the helicopter had a navy blue body and tail, with a bright yellow engine cover. In April 2010 the helicopter was re-painted to preserve the bodywork and make it more visible. It now sports a navy blue tail with a bright yellow body and engine cover, reading 'Police' on one side and 'Ambulance' on the other.
digital radio system. The helicopter is one of only two helicopters in the UK that can perform Ambulance missions at night. The refit was paid 50% by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal, 40% by Wiltshire Police and 10% a police/government grant.
called the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal Shop, there was also a shop in Devizes
but it closed in mid 2011 due to poor sales. The charity also receives donations from local businesses, general donations, sponsorships, wills and fund raising events such as Devizes Carnival.
In June 2010 Wiltshire Air Ambulance distanced itself from The Children's Air Ambulance
, a similar charity that serves only children. The WAA feared that the public would donate to the CAA, who don't actually have an aircraft, instead of donating to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
The Executive Officer to Wiltshire Police is Graham Saunders. The Royal Patron to the Wiltshire Ambulance Appeal is HRH Duchess of Cornwall.
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....
and police helicopter which responds to seriously ill or injured casualties and police incidents across Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. It is the only helicopter service in the country to be shared between the police and ambulance, therefore reducing costs which would arise if there were two separate vehicles.
The service was formed in 1990 by the NHS Wiltshire
NHS South West
NHS South West is a strategic health authority of the National Health Service in England. It operates in the South West region, which is coterminous with the local government office region....
and Wiltshire Police, as a way to respond to emergencies faster in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, where accidents are usually in remote rural places.
Funding
The WAA is a part of a unique arrangement that is only seen in one other part of the UK. The helicopter is shared between the Great Western Ambulance ServiceGreat Western Ambulance Service
The Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust is a UK National Health Service trust providing emergency and non emergency patient transport services to Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire in the South West England region...
and Wiltshire Police. The venture that was started in 1990 costs £1.5 million a year, 66% is funded by Wiltshire Police and the other 33% is funded by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal. The WAA receives no government funding or grants and no lottery grants, it is funded 100% by the people of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
The size of Wiltshire and required funding means that every citizen costs 50pence each year.
In 2009 Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal made £987,077, an increase of £265,898 from 2008 and spent £771,271, an increase £132,274 from 2008.
Operations
The helicopter is a McDonnell Douglas 902 Explorer that is leased and maintained by Police Aviation Services, who also supply the trained pilots. The MD 902 has no tail rotor making it quieter and easier to land in small areas, it can fly at 140 mph and has a range of 1.5 hours. The helicopter is operational from 0800hrs to 0300hrs all year round. It is staffed by 3 pilots, 4 observers and 6 paramedics, one of each always flies with the helicopter.The helicopter primarily serves Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and can scramble in less than 2 minutes and reach anywhere in the county within 12 minutes, although it can reach most destinations in less than 7 minutes. It can also assist outside Wiltshire when required.
Its ambulance call sign is 'Helimed 65' and its police call sign is 'Whisky Hotel 99'. It's registration is G-WPAS
In 2009 the helicopter attended 1267 incidents, made up of 617 police incidents and 650 medical incidents, of which 306 were conveyed to hospital.
Before April 2010 the helicopter had a navy blue body and tail, with a bright yellow engine cover. In April 2010 the helicopter was re-painted to preserve the bodywork and make it more visible. It now sports a navy blue tail with a bright yellow body and engine cover, reading 'Police' on one side and 'Ambulance' on the other.
Technology
Wiltshire Police Helicopter features some of the most advanced technology out of all the emergency services helicopters in the UK, thanks to a £850,000 refit in January 2010. The new systems can pursue a person two and half miles from the aircraft, either in daytime or night-time cameras. The refit also included a new TetraTetra
thumb|right|250px|Pristella tetra — [[Pristella maxillaris]].thumb|right|250px|Golden Pristella tetra, a [[morph |morph]] of [[Pristella maxillaris]].thumb|right|250px|[[Silvertip tetra]] — Hasemania nana....
digital radio system. The helicopter is one of only two helicopters in the UK that can perform Ambulance missions at night. The refit was paid 50% by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal, 40% by Wiltshire Police and 10% a police/government grant.
Fund raising
The Wiltshire Air Ambulance is funded by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal, a charity that raises money from several different sources. The charity is supported by a charity shop in WestburyWestbury
-Places:Australia*Westbury, TasmaniaCanada*Westbury, QuebecIreland*Westbury, suburb of LimerickUnited Kingdom*Westbury, Buckinghamshire*Westbury, Shropshire*Westbury, Wiltshire*Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire*Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol...
called the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal Shop, there was also a shop in Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
but it closed in mid 2011 due to poor sales. The charity also receives donations from local businesses, general donations, sponsorships, wills and fund raising events such as Devizes Carnival.
In June 2010 Wiltshire Air Ambulance distanced itself from The Children's Air Ambulance
The Children's Air Ambulance
The Children's Air Ambulance, is a charity based in Torquay, Devon that aims to provide an air ambulance service to critically ill children throughout the entire United Kingdom, as well as blood and organ transplant transportation that is required for children...
, a similar charity that serves only children. The WAA feared that the public would donate to the CAA, who don't actually have an aircraft, instead of donating to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
The Executive Officer to Wiltshire Police is Graham Saunders. The Royal Patron to the Wiltshire Ambulance Appeal is HRH Duchess of Cornwall.