Devon Air Ambulance

The Devon Air Ambulance Trust (DAAT) is a charity providing emergency medical services through the provision of two helicopter-based air ambulances covering the county of Devon in South West England.[2][3] The helicopters are owned and operated by the charity, which raises money from public donations and its charity shops in excess of £9 million every year.[4]

Devon Air Ambulance Trust
Founded27 August 1992[1]
TypeCharitable organisation
Location
Area served
County of Devon
Aircraft operated
Airbus H135
Revenue
£9.1 million (2019)
Employees (2019)
125
Volunteers (2019)
655
Websitewww.daat.org

History

DAAT was formed by Ann Thomas, in memory of her son, 18-year-old Ceri Thomas, who was fatally injured in a road traffic collision in 1986.[5][1] At hospital, his mother learned that the quicker a patient receives hospital treatment, the greater that patient's chances of survival. Subsequently, she started a campaign to launch an air ambulance service for Devon.[1]

The service went into operation on 27 August 1992,[1] covering the entirety of the county of Devon, including the rural and inaccessible moors of Exmoor and Dartmoor.[6] The charity currently operates two helicopters,[3] and can reach 50 per cent of locations in Devon within five minutes of taking to the air, with remaining locations accessible within 20 minutes.[7]

Organisation
Exeter-based H145 helicopter G-DAAS
Great Torrington-based EC135 helicopter G-DAAN

The charity owns and operates two Eurocopter EC135 helicopters, from two different airfields, to maximise coverage of the county. Both helicopters fly for ten hours a day, seven days a week.[7] From late autumn 2016, the Exeter-based helicopter flew into the hours of darkness, up to midnight, into one of a network of community night-landing sites created across the county.

The Exeter-based Airbus H145 registered G-DAAS, was delivered to DAAT in June 2020,[8] and entered into service in November 2020.[9] It is located along with the National Police Air Service helicopter at Exeter Airport.

The North Devon-based EC135 P2+ helicopter, registered G-DAAN, is located at Eaglescott Airfield,[7] previously at Belle Vue Airfield,[10] near Great Torrington.

In 2020, the charity introduced two Volvo XC90 Critical Care Cars, which allow the service to be delivered when helicopters are unable to fly.[11]

Role

The charity's mission statement is: "To relieve sickness and injury in and around the county of Devon through provision of an emergency Air Ambulance service".[12][13] The charity provides air ambulance cover for the entire county, in association with the South Western Ambulance Service, who provide the paramedics on secondment.[14][15]

The charity typically receives no funding from the government (although in 2019 it received £226,000 in government grants),[4] nor the National Lottery, relying on public and businesses donations, plus income generated by its shops and society lottery helps to meet annual running costs. In 2019, the charity raised £9.1M and spent £9.3M, of which £5.9M was used to operate the two air ambulances.[4]

Notable donations

Both of the helicopters bear the signature of television presenter and patron Jennie Bond, who named the charity as her choice during her appearance in the show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. The money raised enabled the charity to buy a GPS moving map system for the first helicopter.[7]

BBC Radio Devon also ran a two-year appeal which raised the final £850,000 needed to buy a second owned aircraft (G-DAAN).

See also

References
  1. "Devon Air Ambulance - The Trust". Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Archived from the original on 28 April 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
  2. "Devon's new angel of the skies". BBC News. August 2004.
  3. "Devon to get two air ambulances". BBC News. 13 April 2005.
  4. "Annual Report & Accounts 2019" (PDF). Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  5. "Charity buys £3.3m air ambulance". BBC News. 26 September 2008.
  6. "Air Ambulance Coverage Map". Air Ambulance Association UK.
  7. "The Helicopters". Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Archived from the original on 29 April 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
  8. "Aircraft Details for: G-DAAS". G-INFO Register. Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom). Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  9. "New helicopter ready for take off!". Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  10. "Air ambulance to move to new home". BBC. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  11. "DEVON AIR AMBULANCE EXPANDS SERVICE TO PATIENTS WITH TWO CRITICAL CARE CARS; SERVICE PURCHASES TWO VOLVO XC90S". Air Ambulances UK. 19 February 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 April 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2009.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. "Supported Charity - Devon Air Ambulance". Salcombe Festival. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
  14. "Knowing Us - Crew". Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Archived from the original on 28 April 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
  15. "Air Ambulance Services". South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
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