New Air Ambulance Charity Launches in Scotland
A new air ambulance charity, Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance, is to begin operations in Scotland.
The charity will be providing, free of charge to the Scottish Air Ambulance Service, one Bolkow 105 helicopter complete with pilot and paramedic crew. The cost will be met through community fundraising across Scotland. There is no Government or NHS financial support. The aircraft will be based at Perth Airfield and provide an air ambulance and HEMS response across the whole of Scotland.
The East and Central areas of Scotland will be the predominate areas of operation. The helicopter will be fully integrated in to the Scottish Air Ambulance Service and will be routed as part of the 999 Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre.
Scotland has previously been covered from the air by two Eurocopter EC135s, operated by Bond Air Services on contract to Gama Aviation who hold a contract with Scottish Ambulance Service. This is the only EMS operation in the UK funded by central government.
In 2009 members of the business community in Tayside approached the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) with a proposal to establish a charitably funded Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) which would be additional to and provide additionality to the Air Ambulance Service in Scotland. Although the fundraising for this service would predominately come from businesses and individuals based in Scotland, it was clearly stated from the outset that this asset would be an additional resource, deployed centrally by the SAS in time-critical emergencies. In 2010 this community established a charity, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) “For the emergency relief of serious sickness and injury and the protection of human life by the provision of an air ambulance based in East Central Scotland. Initial corporate supporters are Scottish Hydro, McEwens of Perth, Perth Airport, Balhousie Care Group, Scottish Aero Club and Scottish Ambulance Service.
