Radstock's local air ambulance reports busiest year ever

Earlier last month an incident in Radstock saw the local air ambulance heading out to help.

The crew were stood down on route - but for many it was a reminder that - should they need it - help can there in a critically number of minutes.

However what many do not realise is that the service is funded totally from donations.

The Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) have announced that 2019 was their busiest year to date, with their Critical Care Team receiving over 2,000 call-outs to incidents across the region. In 2019, they received 173 call outs in Bath and North East Somerset alone.

The air ambulance and critical care service, which is charity funded, provides emergency medical care to the most seriously ill or injured across Bath and North East Somerset - along with those from Bristol, North Somerset, Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire.

GWAAC's Critical Care Team consists of highly skilled critical care doctors and specialist paramedics; They have the ability to carry out life-saving interventions, such as blood transfusions or emergency anesthesia to the patient as they fly.

In 2019 it was the charity's busiest year to date. The Critical Care Team attend an average of over five incidents a day, either by helicopter or in one of two critical care cars.

The charity needs to raise over £4 million a year in order to remain operational, yet receives no day-to-day funding from the Government or National Lottery.

If people would like to support the team or find out more information they can go here their web page