Great North Air Ambulance pair injured in microlight accident
 

See article in the Northern Echo. Both airlifted from the scene, one by GNAA colleagues and one by Northumbria Police.

Why send two small helicopters to lift one casualty each, thereby tying up two assets, when you could use one large one which is based nearby and could easily take both at once? Doesn't seem like the best use of the available assets.

Increased immediate care for each casualty?

I'm only guessing but wouldn't there have been 2 immediate care medics on each 'small' helicopter, both able to attend to the casualty while airborne.

Patient airlift
 

The air ambulance would be staffed by a pilot and two medics in a full ambulance configuration. The police aircraft would be kitted out to fulfill the police role but also able to take a stretcher patient. As an ex police observer, I would say the air ambulance took the most seriously injured casualty and the police aircraft took the other, along with a doctor/paramedic, either with both police observers or by leaving one behind as conditions dictated.

With respect Bertie, not sure that's the case.

For a start, unless I'm very much mistaken (apologies if I am), the Police helo would not have two IEC medics on board, casevac being only a secondary role for them.

Secondly, the dimensions of the small helos mean that attending to the casualty in flight can be very tricky, whatever the quantity and quality of medics on board - in stark contrast to the ease of casualty access in a Sea King or similar.

Thirdly, the one large helo could have, if need be, taken on an extra medic from those who attended by road. True, this would rob an ambulance of its paramedic for the time it took the helo to fly to Newcastle and back, but an ambulance is a less precious asset to tie up than a helicopter.

Besides, how much useful work could 4 medics have done on two casualties during what must have been a sub-10 minute flight to hospital?

Another thing to think of, EGNT is not very far from the incident flying time wise,(10 mins?) so maybe with two a/c on scene, they just did what they thought was best at the time?

I'm sure those two microlight pilots have a deathwish tho!! :E

TorqueOfTheDevil

Helimed 58(The Big One as you put it.)was tasked to attend the incident from its base at Carlisle but had to return due to bad Wx in the Hexham area. With both occupants of the Microlight seriously injured time was maybe of the essance hence two aircraft.

Barshifter,

Sorry but you misunderstood me. The 'one large one', as I put it, was actually one of the SAR Sea Kings from Boulmer (the nearest helicopters to where the microlight crashed), not HM58 which is based so far away.

The fact that HM58 was tasked at all amazes me - why send an aircraft over 40 miles when there are two, each better equipped to handle several casualties, based less than 10 miles from the incident scene? In all, as it turns out, 3 helos from 3 bases were all tied up handling an incident which one (from a fourth base, closer than the other three) could have done - surely a waste of precious assets. And even had HM58 been a suitable asset, did noone notice that the weather was poor before despatching them across the Pennines?

What, I wonder was the rationale behind sending HM58 when Boulmer, Newcastle Airport and Otterburn are all much closer? Presumably there was a delay caused when HM58 got as far as Hexham but then had to turn back, meaning that another helicopter had to be tasked? It seems that 30 seconds rational thought at the outset, by whoever was controlling the incident (North East Ambulance Service?), would have saved many minutes of flying time.

As it turned out, one of the Boulmer Sea Kings successfully made it along the Tyne Valley, soon after Jim & Jon's lucky escape, on the way to an incident in the Lakes, and made it back again late that afternoon.

HM58 is an air ambulance - the right tool for the right job. You make the whole episode sound like a catalogue of errors when infact it probably went something like this.

1. Air ambo to scene finds two badly injured casualties - requests second aircraft.
2. Police aircraft goes to scene for police work - video/photograph/command and control
3. HM 58 cant make it so police offer services.
4. Both casualties quickly transported to the front door of Newcastle general

I could be more picky and sarcastic but its getting late...

I'm sure Jim and Jon think they are cats..

Careful, Bandeeto ..... you may be accused of living in the real world ....

Having first met Jim in 1984, I was also thinking that. :suspect:

Get well soon, to both! And for goodness' sake - take care out there :ooh:

TorqueOfTheDevil

Otterburn may indeed have been closer to the incident than Helimed58's base at Penrith. However, as there was no aircraft on duty there that day, that's a bit academic.

As for why they would send '58, Bandetto got it spot on. It's an Air Ambulance, you don't "tie it up" by sending it to accidents, that's what it's there for.

Looked at another way - why send an SK? You are then "tying up" an asset which could be needed for maritime, mountain, and other specialised duties.

Horses for courses, my friend.

And of course best wishes to Jon and Jim from all at H98/99.

Some readers may not be aware of the bravery of Jon, when both Jon and Jim were involved in a previous accident:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content..._feature.shtml

Maybe from past experience, they didn't want to wait an age for the seaking to get fired up and transit to the scene.......

Flippin eck Jon/ Jim....... time to hang up the pitot cover, i'll see if Rothbury council have any spare allotments for your retirements.... Wishing you both a speedy recovery …….

Russell. :ok:

P.s Do you still need your GPS?

Accident chasing?
 

A recent investigation in MA found numerous helos and ambulances were routinely dispatched to accdents knowing full well a single asset was only needed so as to justify their existence when it was budget review time.
Almost can't blame them when it's your own life or loved one in that accident.

Flaxton Flyer

Helimed 58(Dauphin) has its Operating base at Carlisle(EGNC) now.


TorqueOfTheDevil

Sorry about that.Thought you were talking about the Dauphin.

Cheers Barshifter, I'll update my mental HEMS location map!

Dan Reno,

The Air Ambulances work a little differently in the UK, there aren't that many that overlap and they usually work within a dedicated area.
Also they are mainly funded by Charities and not hospitals or Insurance companies so they aren't chasing work, they are tasked by the Ambulance authority which has control of the geographic area.

Probably because the information available at the time concerning the scale and severity of the accident was severely limited, and possibly contradictory, whilst the need for somebody to attend was clearly urgent? Also presumably an asset can be redirected once airborne if a more urgent requirement is identified?

G

2 of our friends from the industry are seriously injured...
And the boys in Light Blue turn the thread into a pi**ing contest as to which aircraft was sent!!
I'm sure that Jim or John were very glad that assistance was delivered so swiftly, what ever the colour
My best wishes to them both for a speedy recovery

Still, even I can't resist lowering the tone with some provocative banter!!

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The Army is a role looking for a tradition
The RAF is neither looking for both

Roll on 2012