The Mayor of London's negative stance about helicopters must now seem highly embarrassing in the light of the Coroner's statement following the 7/7 bombs inquiry.
A fully-funded "air ambulance" is required:
7/7 inquest: London 'woefully' unprepared for terrorist attack on 2012 Olympics, warns coroner - Telegraph
London is “woefully” unprepared for a terrorist attack on the 2012 Olympics because of a chronic shortage of air ambulance crews and other fast response teams, Lady Justice Hallett warned in her report into the July 7, 2005 terrorist attacks.
The coroner expressed “grave concern” about the patchy provision for medics at major incidents, which is hugely reliant on volunteers and charity donations, and suggested that lives will be lost unnecessarily in any future incident unless the issue is urgently addressed.
By “pure chance” the London Air Ambulance had 27 doctors and paramedics available on the day of the suicide bombings, because it was holding a conference that day.
But on any other day, only a two-man team would have been on duty, the coroner said, which falls “woefully short” of the cover needed.
She added: “I am concerned that London, a major global capital, host to the Olympics in 2012 and a prime terrorist target, should find itself dependent on corporate funding and charitable donations, and upon professional volunteers giving up their free time.”
Among the nine recommendations made by Lady Justice Hallett in her inquest report was the urgent need for the air ambulance and a ground-based Medical Emergency Response Incident Team to be “properly funded”.