The Children's Air Ambulance
Encyclopedia
The Children's Air Ambulance, is a charity based in Torquay
, Devon
that aims to provide an air ambulance
service to critically ill children throughout the entire United Kingdom
, as well as blood and organ transplant transportation that is required for children. The charity aims to the first service of its kind in Europe, that will work 24 hours a day, transporting children from hospitals to specialist children's unit
.
. The CAA is entirely funded by corporate and public donations. In 2006 it raised £46,865 and spent £47,246, in 2007 it raised £19,466 and spent £2,265, in 2008 it raised £371 and spent £0.
which will be operated by Cabair Helicopters, the helicopter would seat 4 attendants, 1 or 2 stretchers and 2 pilots. It can travel at 180 mph and has a range of three hours. The aircraft is larger than most air ambulances in the UK, and is not a popular choice for such a task. The Eurocopter
and McDonnell Douglas
are the more popular models in British air ambulances
.
The helicopter would be based in London, which it could reach anywhere in the UK within two hours and reach all of the specialised children units within 70 minutes of its base. It can reach Scotland
and Ireland
in 85 minutes, the Midlands
in 60 minutes, and Wales
and the West Country
in 35 minutes.
. This also allows for the strecters to be removed from either or both sides. The ambulance will also be fitted with ample lighting, an oxygen
system that can supply 8000 litres of oxygen, electrical systems, stretcher bridges, a satellite phone
, a nitesun landing light, a liquid oxygen advanced life support
system and a DVD
system for sick children to watch.
and Devon Air Ambulance.
There have been some reports of established air ambulance charities warning potential donors to avoid 'bogus air ambulance charity collectors' when actually the collections are for the CAA. The fundraising has also caused confusion over the fact that the organisation has no helicopter, and people are reluctant to donate to a project that is only half started.
The Devon Air Ambulance has also criticised the viability of this project, since the existing air ambulances do the potential work of the CAA, they claim there is no need for an Air Ambulance dedicated to children. They also criticised the costing of the CAA who plan to provide the service 24 hours a day, saying that their estimate of £1.5 million running costs is unrealistic given the size of the area they cover, the size of the task they plan to do and the larger than normal size of the aircraft they have chosen.
Others have also criticised the fact that the CAA has no interest in support anyone over the age of 16, saying that it would be better to have another air ambulance.
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
that aims to provide an air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
service to critically ill children throughout the entire United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as well as blood and organ transplant transportation that is required for children. The charity aims to the first service of its kind in Europe, that will work 24 hours a day, transporting children from hospitals to specialist children's unit
Children's hospital
A children's hospital is a hospital which offers its services exclusively to children . The number of children's hospitals proliferated in the 20th century, as pediatric medical and surgical specialties separated from internal medicine and adult surgical specialties...
.
Funding
The Children's Air Ambulance is an independent charity that receives no government support, like all the air ambulances in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The CAA is entirely funded by corporate and public donations. In 2006 it raised £46,865 and spent £47,246, in 2007 it raised £19,466 and spent £2,265, in 2008 it raised £371 and spent £0.
Operations
Although the CAA is an air ambulance charity it doesn't own or lease an aircraft, and has no arrangement to use one for another source. They plan to have one once they have raised enough money, which they say they have raised half of. The model they plan to buy is a S76C+Sikorsky S-76
The Sikorsky S-76 is an American medium-size commercial utility helicopter. The S-76 is powered by two turboshaft engines, which drive both the main and tail rotors, each with four blades...
which will be operated by Cabair Helicopters, the helicopter would seat 4 attendants, 1 or 2 stretchers and 2 pilots. It can travel at 180 mph and has a range of three hours. The aircraft is larger than most air ambulances in the UK, and is not a popular choice for such a task. The Eurocopter
Eurocopter EC135
The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...
and McDonnell Douglas
MD Helicopters MD Explorer
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0 7106 2537 5.-External links:* *...
are the more popular models in British air ambulances
Air Ambulances in the United Kingdom
There are a number of air ambulance services in the United Kingdom using either helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft. Thirty helicopters, all operated by commercial companies and funded by charitable organisations, cover England and Wales...
.
The helicopter would be based in London, which it could reach anywhere in the UK within two hours and reach all of the specialised children units within 70 minutes of its base. It can reach Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 85 minutes, the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
in 60 minutes, and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
in 35 minutes.
Technology
The CAA plan to implement the Twin Rotating Evacuation Carriage, which allows for many combinations of stretchers to be used, including two together or an incubator and stretcherStretcher
A stretcher is a medical device used to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another. It is a simple type of litter, and still called by that name in some cases....
. This also allows for the strecters to be removed from either or both sides. The ambulance will also be fitted with ample lighting, an oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
system that can supply 8000 litres of oxygen, electrical systems, stretcher bridges, a satellite phone
Satellite phone
A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites...
, a nitesun landing light, a liquid oxygen advanced life support
Advanced Life Support
Advanced Life Support is a set of life-saving protocols and skills that extend Basic Life Support to further support the circulation and provide an open airway and adequate ventilation .-Components of ALS:These include:...
system and a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
system for sick children to watch.
Criticisms
Other air ambulance organisations in the UK have said that they fear their fundraising will efforts will lose out due to people donating to the CAA instead. The Children's Air Ambulance Trust has caused some confusion whilst fundraising with people confusing the CAA with local air ambulances such as Wiltshire Air AmbulanceWiltshire Air Ambulance
The Wiltshire Air Ambulance or Wiltshire Police Helicopter, is an air ambulance and police helicopter which responds to seriously ill or injured casualties and police incidents across Wiltshire...
and Devon Air Ambulance.
There have been some reports of established air ambulance charities warning potential donors to avoid 'bogus air ambulance charity collectors' when actually the collections are for the CAA. The fundraising has also caused confusion over the fact that the organisation has no helicopter, and people are reluctant to donate to a project that is only half started.
The Devon Air Ambulance has also criticised the viability of this project, since the existing air ambulances do the potential work of the CAA, they claim there is no need for an Air Ambulance dedicated to children. They also criticised the costing of the CAA who plan to provide the service 24 hours a day, saying that their estimate of £1.5 million running costs is unrealistic given the size of the area they cover, the size of the task they plan to do and the larger than normal size of the aircraft they have chosen.
Others have also criticised the fact that the CAA has no interest in support anyone over the age of 16, saying that it would be better to have another air ambulance.