Air ambulance warning amid push for third aircraft

2 hours ago

Federica BedendoNorth East and Cumbria

GNAAS has launched a fundraising campaign for a third helicopter

GNAAS A GNAAS helicopter parked on a helipad with two paramedics walking towards it, carrying medical bags. The skyline of a city is visible behind the helicopter, set against a blue sky with a few white clouds. The helicopter is white, yellow and green. The paramedics are wearing dark t-shirts and red trousers. The helipad is a concrete platform on a rooftop with a yellow and white symbol painted on it where the helicopter is parked. — GNAAS has launched a fundraising campaign for a third helicopter

An air ambulance service has warned it may be forced to scale back its operations unless it can raise enough money to prop up its ageing fleet.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) currently has two helicopters which respond to more than 2,000 critically ill or injured people in the North East, Cumbria, North Yorkshire and the Isle of Man.

The charity said it needed to raise £2.5m for a deposit for a third helicopter, as its current fleet was coming to the end of its "economically viable life".

Joe Garcia, CEO at GNAAS, said having a third aircraft could mean "the difference between life and death" for patients.

"Returning to a three-helicopter fleet means that when one aircraft is undergoing essential maintenance, two more are ready to answer the call," he said.

The charity, which has bases in the North East and Cumbria, said it was "facing a crossroads" due to high maintenance costs and an "increasing scarcity" of spare parts for its Dauphin N3 helicopters.

GNAAS said it responded to more than 2,000 patients every year

GNAAS A GNAAS helicopter flying against a blue sky with a few fluffy clouds. The helicopter is white, yellow and green. — GNAAS said it responded to more than 2,000 patients every year

"This is a landmark investment in the future of emergency care for our entire community, and we face a rapidly closing window to make this happen," Mr Garcia said.

The charity said as demand for its service continued to grow, it had designed a blueprint to operate with three helicopters, offering more advanced medical care.

GNAAS said it had received a "significant donation" covering 8% of its fundraising target for what it called Operation SOS: Secure Our Service.

Mr Garcia added: "The public's support is the foundation of our service. They have fuelled our missions and equipped our crews.

"We would not turn to them with such a significant request unless it was absolutely critical."

Details of the appeal and how to donate are available on the GNAAS website.

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