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Midlands Air Ambulance Charity
A pre-hospital emergency service continues its mission to create bystander lifesavers across Shropshire and is calling on local businesses, schools, and communities for support.
Ahead of the European Restart a Heart Day (Sunday 16th October), and World Trauma Day (Monday 17th October), Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is urging the local community to take advantage of its free, in-person Mission Support training. The sessions offer lifesaving CPR and catastrophic bleed control training including guidance on how to help restart a heart and control heavy bleeding caused by traumatic injury, such as DIY disasters, falls and road traffic collisions.
Last year, cardiac arrests made up 30 per cent of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity's missions while trauma-related incidents – including road traffic collisions, haemorrhages or penetrating injuries – accounted for 43 per cent of call-outs, two per cent up on the previous year.
According to sources, approximately 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen every year in the UK. Less than one in ten people survive these cardiac arrests which is why performing CPR can more than double the chances of survival in some cases[1].
Ian Jones, clinical operations director for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: "Cardiac arrests and trauma incidents consistently rank as the top types of mission we attend, and both may require immediate bystander support. The help of anyone close-by can make all the difference during those vital first few minutes before advanced critical care teams arrive to give the patient the best possible outcome and increase their chances of survival.
"The enhanced skills, advanced medicines and hospital-level equipment our highly-trained critical care paramedics and pre-hospital emergency medicine doctors bring to scene gives patients the best possible chance of survival and recovery. However, giving local people basic lifesaving skills so they know how to act immediately should the worst happen is invaluable and I hope businesses, schools and communities in Shropshire are quick to take up our offer of free CPR and bleed training."
Former patient, Yasmin Jukes knows all too well the difference advanced training can be in the chances of survival. On 17th February 2020, Yasmin, aged just 17 at the time, fainted and tragically fell backwards down the stairs at her home in Whitchurch, Shropshire.
Yasmin sustained a traumatic brain injury, multiple bleeds and blood clots to the brain, a fractured skull, severe swelling to the brain and an open fracture on her finger.
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s helicopter from RAF Cosford swiftly arrived on scene, bringing a critical care paramedic and pre-hospital emergency medicine doctor, enhanced medicines, and advanced equipment to Yasmin.
After assessing and providing advanced medicines to Yasmin, the crew escorted her via land ambulance to Royal Stoke University Hospital to monitor and provide further advanced care on the journey.
Yasmin said: “When I was told about the care and treatment I received, I realised how important the air ambulance response was. They play a vital role in stabilising patients and getting them to hospital within good time.”
Her mother, Caroline, who took a year off work to look after Yasmin says: “Without the first-class treatment and care Yasmin received, things could have been a lot different.”
To book a free session of lifesaving CPR and bleed control training, visit the training page on the website.
[1] Source: www.bhf.org.uk