The fact that UK air ambulances do not provide 24hr (apart from those joint police/air ambulance unit that do, namely Sussex and The Scottish AA!) cover is irrelevant when it comes to winching as the circumstances that require winching happen during the daylight too!
The extra costs of the purchasing, fitting and training with said equipment is suprisingly not as much as you would think. I'm sure all of the UK AA units hard working team of fundraising volunteers efforts are always borne in mind in this day and age of Cost Vs Benefit. I cannot see one of these amazing folk saying that even if just one life was saved or whos suffering was lessened from having a winch this will of paid for itself ten times over. Is frittering costs relevant when it comes to one life when its your Son, Daughter.....need I say more, I guess that is a dilemma.
IMHO UK SAR is not tasked more by Ambulance Control because that the SAR core function means these
few units are mainly coastal based and often not ideally placed to be considered by ambulance control when it comes to activating the asset thats best for patient, its nothing personnal.
AFAIK the RAF have never signed up to ORCON and what with the Seakings high speed characteristics they are sometimes tasked late when it is realised a winch is whats needed.
So, maybe a winch isn't a bad thing for some UK AA/Police units when its use will provide an extra tool and of course coupled with a comprehensive initial and continuation training package with defined SOPs at its centre.
