A new life-saving helicopter crew at Aberdeen airport will begin work today after years of campaigning and fundraising.
This morning, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA)’s second aircraft is to become an operational asset for the Scottish Ambulance Service to call upon.
Although it will be tasked to jobs from the Scottish Borders to Orkney, the EC135 T2E and her crew are expected to make a significant impact in the north-east.
The new copter, to be known as Helimed 79, will significantly extend the reach of the major trauma centre at Foresterhill, meaning patients taken ill or seriously hurt further away from Aberdeen will be able to receive the best care.
Lead paramedic with the newly set up crew, Ewan Littlejohn, will be among the first on shift today – when the air ambulance could first be called into action.
He told The Press And Journal: “It’s amazing to have it off the ground and to think how quickly everyone has worked to make it happen.
“There have been so many unsung heroes working behind the scenes – like the contractors at the hangar who have kitted it out from scratch. They transformed a blank canvas into something amazing despite everything going on right now.
“A lot of people have left their families to make this happen, for all of us to see it in service is a dream come true.”
SCAA’s crew will be working from a hangar in Farburn Terrace in Dyce.
The facility is owned by Babcock, the firm supplying the charity’s aircraft and pilots in both Aberdeen and its first base in Perth.
Just two years ago, SCAA announced plans for a second aircraft following the success of its Helimed 76, which flies out of the airport at Scone.
The P&J led a campaign to have this new aircraft based in the north-east, which the charity confirmed would happen in November 2018.
This newspaper has since been supporting the fundraising campaign to help bring the plans to fruition.
SCAA has to raise £6million to cover the cost of setting up shop at Aberdeen International Airport and the first three years of service.
So far, around half of that ambitious total has been collected.
Today would have been a day of much media attention and publicity for SCAA – but for the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
SCAA’s crews and contractors have remained on site to finish preparing for operations, working in isolation wherever possible to minimise risk.
All other staff, like thousands across the country, are working from home.
The cameras and reporters – and much needed publicity needed to achieve the lofty £6m goal – have been put on hold for now.
Despite the excitement and pride ahead of a historic day for the charity, chief executive David Craig said: “For us, this is a greater time of need for financial support, while I know everyone is going to be affected somehow, in their personal circumstances, by coronavirus.
“This is a re-appeal for those who have supported us in the past and anyone else thinking of doing so, as we still need to raise these funds to be operational.
“We are not government funded, we rely on public donations.
“In order to sustain this service, there is an even greater need now.”
Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance has made a huge impact since 2013, saving lives and preventing suffering.
That is why the P&J campaigned successfully for SCAA’s second helicopter to be based in our region.
The countdown is now on for the aircraft – call sign Helimed 79 – to start flying missions from Aberdeen Airport.
But this is an emergency service that relies entirely on donations.
Each call-out costs about £2,500 and SCAA needs P&J readers to help hit its £6million target and get things off to a successful start.
So please do anything you can to raise those funds and show that We’re Backing Helimed 79.
Ways to donate to SCAA
- Website: www.scaa.org.uk/donate
- Text: Text ‘SCAA’ and the amount to 70085
- Phone: 03001231111
- Cheques: Made payable to ‘SCAA’ or ‘Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance’ and sent to: Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA), The Control Tower, Perth Airport, Scone, PH2 6PL