The Irish Community Air Ambulance has responded to the highest number of road traffic collisions in a single month since the organisation launched.
The charity works in partnership with the National Ambulance Service and is tasked to serious and life threatening emergencies.
The HEMS Air Ambulance is based in Rathcool, Co Cork with teams on the ground in Dublin, Mayo and Donegal.
High number of incidents in May
The Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Air Ambulance was tasked to 15 separate crashes during May. This increase has pushed up the overall number of call outs for the helicopter by 14% when compared to April.
The helicopter responded to 205 incidents in the first five months of this year. There were 48 taskings in May alone, up from 42 during April.
There were three callouts for Waterford last month, as well as to Kerry, Tipperary, Clare, Wexford, Limerick and Carlow.
In total, 17 people were airlifted to hospitals in Cork and Limerick during May.
The ground teams were tasked to 221 incidents between January and May this year. The Rapid Response Teams are made up of Volunteer Critical Care Doctors and an Advanced Life Support Doctor Service with community-based GP’s.
The organisation responded to a total of 426 taskings during the first five months of 2022.
Fundraiser for HEMS
The service is facing increasing fuel costs. For this reason, and to support the expansion of its ground-based Volunteer Doctor service, the organisation has launched a fundraising drive.
The Irish Community Air Ambulance is encouraging people to host a BBQ or coffee morning during July to raise vital funds for the organisation.
RTE's John Creedon joined the team at the base for the first “Brew for the Crew” event of the summer. He said:
“The Irish Community Air Ambulance has had a huge impact right across the country since the service first launched almost three years ago. However, it’s rural communities in Munster, places that are some distance from the nearest hospital that have benefited most. The figures for May speak for themselves and show that the demand for the service is increasing. Nobody sets out on their day thinking that they will need the services of the Air Ambulance but we know that life can change in an instant and when trauma strikes, it's vital to know that help is on the way. That’s why this charity service is so important.”
CEO of the Irish Community Air Ambulance, Micheál Sheridan said, “The summer is the busiest time of the year for us and we’re already seeing the number of calls increasing. To be tasked to 15 road traffic collisions in one month is concerning and equates to a serious crash every second day."
How the public can get involved
The Irish Community Air Ambulance is inviting people to host an event of their choosing during the month of July. Head of Community and Donor Engagement, Lorraine Toner explains:
“We’re asking people to use their imaginations for ‘Brew for the Crew’. It can be as simple as having a few friends over for a cuppa, hosting a BBQ or even holding a street party. It is really easy to register on our website and we will send you a kit with everything you need. Our crews are on duty every single day of the year and this event is about raising a glass or cup to say thank you as well as raising vital funds for our organisation.”
More details here.
