Wales Air Ambulance reaches 50,000 missions

Wales Air Ambulance has reached the milestone 23 years after the charity was formed.

The air and road operations are funded entirely by public donations and the charity needs to raise £11.2 million every year to keep the helicopters flying and its rapid response vehicles on the road.

Wales Air Ambulance: 50,000 missions logo

Dr Sue Barnes, Wales Air Ambulance Chief Executive, said: “We mark this milestone with huge gratitude – we are truly humbled. This would not have been possible without the continued support and dedication of our supporters, volunteers, employees, medics, pilots and engineers – past and present.

“Behind each mission, there are human stories. On 50,000 occasions, the medics on board our vehicles have been tasked to help someone in need."

Joshua's story

Behind one of those stories was Joshua Tayman, of Ellesmere Port, who was hiking with his friend Benjamin Robert in Eryri (Snowdonia) when their day out resulted in Joshua nearly losing his life.

Joshua slipped and fell from a waterfall track, plummeting 50ft into a river by Swallow Falls.

Benjamin reached him in five to seven minutes, discovering him face down and unconscious in the water.

He quickly acted, saving Joshua from drowning through Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and with the help of a passer-by, who continued the life-saving action.

Rescue arrived after ten minutes, with Joshua finally breathing.

A road ambulance and Wales Air Ambulance offered immediate assistance, with a critical care team led by Gareth Thomas and Ian Thomas through air, piloted by Jon Earp.

They prepared Joshua for an emergency extraction from the waterfall site, through general anaesthesia, a breathing tube attached to a ventilator.

Joshua also required a blood transfusion of six units, spinal immobilisation, and a pelvic binder due to the danger of severe internal injuries.

Delivering critical care treatment at the spot of the disaster is made possible by the unique partnership between the Wales Air Ambulance Charity and EMRTS.

Intensive care

This pre-hospital care benefited Joshua greatly.

Stabilised, he was warmed and flown to the Royal Stoke University Hospital Major Trauma Centre.

There, he got a full medical assessment and scans, then moved to intensive care.

The fall caused Joshua multiple whole-body bruises, a broken coccyx, parietal scalp haematoma, and a 4cm wound behind his left ear.

After spending three days in an induced coma and on a ventilator, he was then awake and off the ventilator on the fourth day.

Joshua Tayman

Joshua was sent home on April 1, less than a week after the near-fatal fall.

A grateful Joshua said: “I have made a full recovery since my accident and my health is perfect. I would firstly like to thank Benji for risking his own life to save mine as well as all the people at the Wales Air Ambulance and also Royal Stoke University Hospital for all the care they showed me.

“Without the help of the Wales Air Ambulance and everybody that helped me, including Benji, I wouldn’t be here today to see my baby, my girlfriend or my mum. So, it’s not just affected me, it’s affected multiple people along the way.

“To the medics who came to me and my friend Benji, it’s as black and white as it can be - I would not be sat here without you. You save lives every day and I just can’t thank you enough for that. I think the Wales Air Ambulance is an invaluable service and many people would be lost without it.”

How you can help

To mark the mission milestone, Wales Air Ambulance is asking its supporters to support their 50,000 missions appeal, enabling the Charity to be there for even more people in their time of need.

£50 can help fund crucial training enabling the pilots to launch within five minutes of a call during the day. £30 can contribute to lifesaving medical kit and £10 can help to fund essential fuel for both the aircraft and rapid response vehicles.

Dr Sue Barnes added: “Our vital service in Wales needs to raise £11.2 million every year to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road. This would not be possible without the dedicated people of Wales. Our frontline crews work tirelessly around the clock to help save lives and be there for the people of Wales when they need us most. We are all proud to be part of an incredible service.

“We are appealing to our supporters to continue to help us, by donating to our 50,000 missions appeal. Every penny matters and will ensure that we can attend the critically ill or injured patients of the future.”