Dr Morris and the Air Ambulance

Earlier this year I spent some time as the Doctor on board South Devon Air Ambulance.

This was to compliment my work as an emergency Doctor for South West Ambulance Trust. Devon Air Ambulance was first set up in 1986 as a legacy following the tragic Death of Ceri Thomas, who`s mother was told at the hospital if he`d arrived at hospital sooner he`d have likely survived.

The first helicopter went into service in August 1992. I`m used to calling it in or standing it down at the scenes of Accidents, or medical emergencies either where time is paramount, or, with our coast and rolling hills, in inaccessible places.

There are 2 helicopters in Devon One based in North Devon at Eagleswell. The one I crewed is based with the police helicopter at Exeter police HQ at Middlemoor. It flies at 150 mph and has a 2 hr flight time. It can carry 4 crew the pilot, 2 paramedics, and my case a Dr ( but not usually). Not forgetting one normally carries the pilot, 2 paramedics and one other person- in my case me as doctor, and then of course the most important person there- the patient.

It can reach 50% of Devon in 5 mins; the rest of Devon within 20 mins. The 2 helicopters fly 1500 missions a year in Devon, and (like the charity I work for ) is purely charity funded , needing 4 million a year to be operational.

The website for daat is http://www.daat.org/site/

Dr Morris