21st July 2010

On 21st July 2010 Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) air lifted a six year old to hospital following a serious bike accident near High Wycombe Air Park, Marlow.
 
The 6 year old boy from Marlow, was out riding his bike when the accident happened.  He came off his bike and was knocked unconscious, the young boy also suffered a head injury alongside, leg, arm, abdomen injuries and facial lacerations.
 
The highly skilled WNAA crew were quickly on the scene late afternoon and located the boy and his father in some woods, to the south of Marlow.
 
The WNAA crew assessed the brave youngster and treated him on the scene, before immobilising him and making him more comfortable for the flight.
 
The crew then airlifted him with his father to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford for further care.
 
Steve Porter, Air Operations Manager commented, “We are only too happy to help out our neighbouring air ambulance services. This accident happened in a remote area where access by land was difficult, so our helicopter proved vital in providing care on the scene and getting the patient to hospital as quickly as possible.
 
“With all head injuries time is of the essence and we are pleased that on this occasion we were able to help make a difference the care that our young patient received.  On behalf of the team at WNAA I would like to wish him all the best and a speedy recovery.”
 
For more information please log onto www.wnaa.co.uk
 
~ENDS~
For more information please contact
Kit Edwards
PR & Communications Manager, 
DD: 08454 130982/ mobile: 07545426035
 
 
Notes to Editors:

• WNAA is a registered charity, which receives no funding from the Lottery or Government and it costs the charity over £1.5million a year to keep the vital service operational and saving lives.
• WNAA uses an Agusta 109 Power; with a cruise speed just short of 200mph, the fastest civilian helicopter available.
• Enabling WNAA to quickly provide vital medical care on the scene often meaning the difference between life and death.
• The aircraft has the capability for a rapid start and shut-down sequence and can be airborne in about 45 seconds where some services can take around two minutes to warm up and the same to shut down.
• The crew provide intensive care to patients on scene and during flight.
• Rapidly responding to emergency 999 calls saving people who live, work or travel through our regions and beyond when needed.
• Currently serving a population of 1.2 million people across 2,200 square miles of Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.
• The additional skills of the crew can bring the hospital emergency department to the accident scene. e.g. normally a patient would only benefit from advanced analgesia and Anaesthetics in the A&E department, we have the skill set and resources to manage the patient on scene, for example, given a patient with an acute head trauma and suspected brain injury, we can manage the patient in an advanced manner, by Anaesthetising on scene, we control the patients environment by managing airway, controlling blood pressure and adequately oxygenating the brain. This is only one example where early intervention can make the difference between life and death.