London HEMS and the woman who fell from the Lion

[chopper2004]

How the hell did she end up atop and no one bothered to stop her climbing it? Hope she has a speedy recovery

Helicopter swoops into Trafalgar Square to save woman who fell from lion - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/11548138/Helicopter-swoops-into-Trafalgar-Square-to-save-woman-who-fell-from-lion.html)

[AArkley]

Why should someone stop her? If she wants to climb atop a 20 ft high metal lion or however big it is, that's her prerogative.

[Pappa Smurf]

Seems to be the touristy thing to do.
Guess the nationality.......probably Aussie with a few drinks on board.

[John Eacott]

Climbing the Trafalgar Square lions is/was of no consequence and done regularly. Somewhere is a picture of a 3 year old JGE sitting astride a lion, to complement the more modern colour photo of our daughter doing the same :cool:

Nice to see the publicity for the UK HEMS, anything to raise the public profile must be a Good Thing :ok:

[krypton_john]

Seems strange to me to send a helicopter to a central London incident. Wouldn't it have been just as quick if not quicker to send a regular ambulance? Are there not hospitals within a few minutes' drive?

[pohm1]

Have you ever seen central London's traffic?

P1

[krypton_john]

Yep but I didn't have the benefit of sirens and flashing lights.

London's no worse that many cities.

[One35]

Hi Krypton John,

These days the emphasis has shifted from purely getting a patient from scene to an appropriate hospital as quickly as possible, to getting the right medical care to scene as quickly as possible. Hence, the helicopter responding from the Royal London with a Doctor / CCP (Paramedic) and the patient then being transported by land after being treated.

[homonculus]

Ah yes. By land past major trauma centres at University College Hospital and Guys and St Thomass (both under five minutes and he latter along very wide roads) through the narrow streets of the City of London to the Royal London :ok:

[902Jon]

London Major Trauma hospitals:-
Royal London, Whitechapel; Kings College; St Mary's, Paddington; St George's, Tooting.

UCH, Guys and St Thomas's are not.

When I started at HEMS in 1999, the info given was that an ambulance on blue lights travelled at 17mph on average through the capital. The helicopter is used to treat the patient on-scene, and then is taken to the nearest, most appropriate hospital for their needs. This is probably less than 1 in 5 by air.

[ShyTorque]

Seems strange to me to send a helicopter to a central London incident. Wouldn't it have been just as quick if not quicker to send a regular ambulance? Are there not hospitals within a few minutes' drive?

Well, it's not strange. London is so congested that one small incident can jam up the whole area in a matter of minutes.

[blakmax]

Guess the nationality.......probably Aussie with a few drinks on board

I resemble that remark!

Blakmax

[Spunk]

I know of at least one German who has done it before (but being sober). Picture of proof upon request :p

[601]

Guess the nationality.......probably Aussie with a few drinks on board.
I guess that I will have to have a couple of Bundys before I climb the lions next time.:ok: