London's Air Ambulance Takeoff from Streatham Green
London's Air Ambulance is the Charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured people in London. The service provides pre-hospital medical care to victims of serious injury, at the scene of the incident - serving the 10 million people who live, work and commute within the M25.
Based at the Royal London Hospital and founded in 1989, the service is unique in that it operates 24/7, with the helicopter running in daylight hours and rapid response cars taking over at night.
The Team, which at all times includes a Senior Trauma Doctor and a specially trained Paramedic, perform advanced medical interventions, normally only found in the Hospital Emergency Department, in time critical, life threatening situations. Missions commonly involve serious road traffic collisions, falls from height, industrial accidents, assaults and injuries on the rail network.
www.londonsairambulance.co.uk/
London's Air Ambulance has an international reputation for clinical excellence and delivers pioneering procedures which have been adopted across the world.
London's Air Ambulance operates an MD902 Explorer twin engine helicopter, one of the most identifiable in the world. This is one of a new generation of aircraft chosen for its safety features which include no tail rotor, important in an urban environment. It has been specially adapted for its purpose, to enable patients to be treated to the standard of an intensive care unit in flight.
From it's helipad at the top of the Royal London Hospital, the Helicopter can reach the furthest points of the M25 within 12 minutes. Each flying team consists of a senior trauma doctor, a paramedic, two pilots (one of whom acts as a navigator), and an observer (usually a doctor or paramedic completing their first month with London's Air Ambulance, training for their role).
The Helicopter's main use is to get this specialist trauma team to the patient in the quickest possible time -- the team can be airborne within 2-3 minutes of receiving a call. The doctor and paramedic will treat the patient, performing operations and procedures that are normally only seen in the hospital emergency department. Once the patient is stabilised they will be taken to the nearest hospital best equipped to deal with the injuries. The helicopter is equipped to take a patient to the hospital but this is not always the case. Often the patient will travel by London Ambulance Service accompanied by the air ambulance team.
The Helicopter's medical team is equipped with a substantial range of drugs, emergency surgical kits, monitors and other equipment 'a mini Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) of their own' so that they can begin treatment straight away.
MD902 Specifications
Reg: G-EHMS
Hull No: 68
Max all up weight: 6250 lbs
Engines: 2 Pratt and Whitney 206e
Top speed: 140 kts
Mission ready endurance: 1 hour from the Helipad (130 miles)