Emergencies on the Rise for Cornwall Air Ambulance

In April Cornwall Air Ambulance undertook 24 more missions than during March throughout Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, 68 in total. As the weather improves and more tourists visit the county, the number of emergencies the paramedic aircrew attends is sure to continue rising until it peaks in August.

Last month’s emergencies were varied, ranging from a paraglider who had collided with a cliff near Porthcurno to a road traffic collision at Four Lanes that resulted in injuries for multiple people including a woman who was flown to Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske (RCHT).

The air ambulance flew to Falmouth three times, twice for men suffering cardiac arrest and once to treat a man who had fallen from the cliffs overlooking Falmouth Docks.

The air ambulance helped nine young children during the month. Among children that were airlifted to hospital with their parents were a toddler in Trelights who had collapsed, another toddler in St Mabyn with breathing difficulties and an unwell little girl in St Blazey. In Rock a young child that had fallen on rocks suffering nasty leg injuries needed the helicopter since there was no land access. Treated on scene but not airlifted were a toddler in Par and a young pupil at school in Newquay.

As the weather improved though the month and more people got out and about, the air ambulance was tasked to an increasing number of accidents in rural locations.

Near Porthcurno a paraglider collided with a cliff. The air ambulance landed on the beach to allow the doctor on board to transfer to the Search and Rescue helicopter which winched the patient and the doctor treated him enroute to RCHT.

A rider was kicked in the head by her horse near Wadebridge and was flown to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth in 19 minutes. It took the same amount of time to fly a walker who fell and injured her ankle near Boscastle to Plymouth. The helicopter was vital since there was no land access.

Again, with no available land access, the helicopter was essential in reaching a runner in Cheesering and flying him to Derriford Hospital in just ten minutes.

The helicopter airlifted five patients to the mainland hospital from the Isles of Scilly during the month, including a visitor to Tresco who had injured her ankle by falling on the coast path. She was flown to Treliske in just 35 minutes.

The running costs for Cornwall Air Ambulance are solely paid for by donations. To add your support to this vital emergency service please visit cornwallairambulancetrust.org