CORNWALL’S brand new air ambulance has taken to the skies and has ’already saved time and saved lives’ during its first hours in flight.

The new AW169 helicopter, purchased after a two-year fundraisaing appeal, took off yesterday and carried out back to back critical missions to Summercourt, near Newquay, and then to Bude – something that the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust says might not have beeen possible before. The new heli is not only equipped with state of the art technology, but has a greater range and fuel capacity than the previous aircraft.

’We had one priority in mind when we were looking at bringing a new air ambulance to Cornwall – it must help us save more lives,’ said air operations officer Steve Garvey.

’Part of this means having the ability to carry more medical equipment so we can make more lifesaving interventions. The extra power of the AW169 will allow us to do this.

’As paramedics and doctors, we talk about patient outcomes a lot. That basically means we want the people we treat to make the best recovery possible. The faster we can reach a patient and treat them, the better their chances of survival are.’

Greater space and access to patients is another major benefit of the new aircraft, he explained.

’ The scene of an emergency can be a very difficult place to treat a critically ill or injured person. Whether we land at the aftermath of a car accident or find ourselves treating someone on a busy beach, the environment can cause additional stress to a patient. Removing them from the public gaze into a warm, safe environment so we can assess and treat them in a cabin with enough space to do so will make a huge difference.

’The AW169 gives our team 360-degree access to the patient with a stretcher down the middle, whereas in our current aircraft we can only treat them from one side. It may sound simple, but having the extra space to allow two crew members to work on a patient will greatly improve the care we can give.’

Despite the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak, the charity continues to operate its lifesaving service, ensuring that those in urgent need of care receive the best possible chance of survival.

Paula Martin, Chief Executive of Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: ’We have taken active steps, in accordance with government and NHS guidelines to ensure that the service the crew provides remains intact. In today’s climate dominated by Coronavirus headlines, the fact that the new helicopter is ready to take flight is some positive news.’