Air Ambulance

[poliphilo]

Ailz won a prize in a lottery run by the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance- and they invited us to their base in Marden- about 20 minutes down the road- to pick it up.

We talked to some of the people who run the charity and the medical staff from one of the helicopters. They were all very nice to us and kept telling us how kind and generous we were to support them.

Here's the helicopter. It's just been serviced and washed down and is now fanning itself dry with its rotors...

Comments

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Cool!

Air ambulances do an amazing job. They're favourite biker charities, for obvious reasons.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, obviously.

There was a news story recently that the Marden base might have to close down- but the guys said the newshounds had totally got hold of the wrong end of the stick and the truth is they need to move to a larger premises so they can have space to land a larger helicopter and have bigger and better offices.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Oh, good news!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes.

But it's startling that the media managed to get it so completely wrong.

[ambezi.livejournal.com]

38 helicopters in service in England and Scotland funded by charity only. Please donate locally and be generous.

[resonant.livejournal.com]

Amazing that they are funded by charity!

In my province, they are government-funded, as they are the only way to provide emergency healthcare to many communities without road access.

http://www.ornge.ca/AboutOrnge/Pages/Default.aspx

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

The local one is just down the road from us at RAF Cosford.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Ooh, yours is red!

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

We often see it parked up as we pass on a train going into Wolverhampton or Birmingham- it's hard to miss!

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

That's a wonderful photo.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

Not the kind of thing I usually photograph.

[sorenr.livejournal.com]

I can't help thinking about the poor, flustered helicopter, fanning itself over something uncouth one of the crew said...

(Also, helicopters are cool! As are medics, really. I've never needed them, but it's been nice knowing there was an air ambulance at hand if needed when walking the fells of the Lake District.)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

They have two helicopters to cover three counties. One based in Marden, the other in Redhill. between they answer an average of six calls a day.

[sovay]

Here's the helicopter. It's just been serviced and washed down and is now fanning itself dry with its rotors...

It's a good photograph; it makes it look insectile and intelligent and alive.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.