Great North Air Ambulance
_Pride_of_Cumbria_aircraft_(G-NHAB).jpg)
The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) is an English charity based in the United Kingdom. It provides air ambulance services across the North of England, including North Yorkshire, the North-East, Cumbria and Scottish borders.
Operations
GNAAS currently operates three helicopters from its two bases at Langwathby (near Penrith) and Durham Tees Valley Airport. All three aircraft were introduced into service during 2010 and 2011 are owned by the charity, previous aircraft being leased. The three helicopters are Eurocopter Dauphin AS 365 N2s[1] G-NHAA, G-NHAB and G-NHAC. G-NHAC acts as a back-up helicopter, working from either of the two bases as and when required. All helicopters have full IFR capability, so are not as limited by poor weather and can fly outside daylight hours, but due to limited funding they do not operate in darkness.
Two of the three helicopters are named:
G-NHAA - Guardian of the North
G-NHAB - Pride of Cumbria
G-NHAC is yet to be named
In hours of darkness, when the helicopters do not fly, North East Ambulance Service funds a MERIT (Medical Emergency Response Incident Team)[2] on Friday and Saturday nights, which is staffed by a doctor and paramedic team from GNAAS.[3] The MERIT service is also available Sunday through Thursday, on an on-call basis, for major incidents.[4]
Structure
The Great North Air Ambulance Service operates three aircraft, based across northern England. It is one of only three air ambulance services in the UK to operate three aircraft, the others being the Midlands Air Ambulance and North West Air Ambulance.
Fundraising
The Great North Air Ambulance must raise £4.5 million a year to keep their three helicopters in the sky.[5] The charity has successfully used a number of different marketing tactics to raise the required £4 million each year.
In the media
From 8 March 2018, the charity appeared on Channel 4's TV programme Emergency Helicopter Medics, which followed the crews responding and treating emergency patients.[6] Other air ambulances that featured in the show include Thames Valley Air Ambulance and East Anglian Air Ambulance.
See also
- Air Ambulances in the United Kingdom
- Emergency medical services in the United Kingdom
- Police aviation in the United Kingdom
- Cornwall Air Ambulance
- Devon Air Ambulance Trust
- Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance
- Scottish Air Ambulance
References
- ^ "Aviation News, read all the latest aviation news". Multiflight. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
- ^ "Medical Emergency Response Incident Team (MERIT) Communication Briefing" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "New all-night response unit proving its MERIT - North East Ambulance Service - NHS Foundation Trust". www.neas.nhs.uk. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ "Patients benefit from all-night service". Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ "Home of Great North Air Ambulance". GNAAS. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ "East Anglian Air Ambulance to star in new TV documentary - East Anglian Air Ambulance". East Anglian Air Ambulance. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
External links
