SCOTLAND’S Charity Air Ambulance is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its first ever mission, which saw it take a seriously injured woman to hospital in just 12 minutes – instead of a two-hour car journey.
Since launching in 2013, SCAA has responded to nearly 5000 call outs – more than one every single day – and integrated into Scotland’s frontline 999 emergency response network.
Last year, 38% of the emergency calls to which SCAA attended were trauma cases, including road traffic accidents, falls, and impact injuries.
Operating two distinctly yellow helicopters, SCAA has proven vital in accessing remote and rural areas of the country. In fact, it takes the organisation 25 minutes to reach 90% of Scotland’s population from its bases in Perth and Aberdeen, which emphasises its importance in saving time and saving lives.
On May 23, 2013, the charity embarked on its first ever mission. It airlifted Tricia Mackenzie, who had been seriously injured near Dunoon, to hospital, converting a two-hour car journey into a 12-minute flight.
At the time, Mackenzie commented: “SCAA is an absolutely brilliant addition to Scotland’s life-saving resources, and I have nothing but praise for the pilots and paramedics who crew it.”
The charity dedicated the milestone to the memory of SCAA founder and chairman John Bullough, who suddenly passed away earlier this month.
SCAA chief executive David Craig remarked: “[John] always described SCAA as ‘The People’s Helicopter’ – funded by the people of Scotland, for the people of Scotland and we will continue that legacy, with the public’s support, into the future.”
As Scotland’s only charity air ambulance, the organisation does not receive statutory government funding and solely relies on donations from the public. Over the last 10 years, it raised over £50 million through donations and amassed close to 200 volunteers.
To commemorate the 10 year milestone, the organisation is running a fundraising campaign calling for supporters to donate £20 in order to add their name to a new decal which will be applied to the helicopters.
Craig added: “From the visionaries who turned an idea into reality, the frontline crews who work tirelessly to fly paramedic and critical doctor-led teams to emergencies, our Board of Trustees who govern the charity and set its strategic direction, the charity team who promote and deliver many activities and drive SCAA forward, the volunteers who help maintain a public profile, right through to the businesses, trusts, foundations, organisations and individuals whose never-failing generosity has sustained our service even through the most challenging times – the country owes them all a huge debt of gratitude.”
To learn more about Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance, you can visit their website here.
