Thank you Air Ambulance Kent Surrey & Sussex

They are amazing each and every one of them. The Air Ambulance Kent, Surry & Sussex (AAKSS) staff do an incredible job, so as this festive season fast approaches we wish to say thank you to everyone of their fantastic team for their dedication, their professionalism and saving lives throughout 2019. Thank you.

The AAKSS cover an area of 7,400 sq kilometres and can reach any part of Kent, Sussex or Surrey  within 25 minutes. Their annual running costs are around £14 million and they generate 89% of their income through fundraising or donations.

In 2018 – latest figures available – AAKSS  attended 2,465 call-outs, an average of seven a day. Of these jobs, 64.7% (1,595)  were attended using their helicopters, and the other 35.3% (870) were attended in their emergency response vehicles. When circumstances prevent AAKSS from taking flight, their rapid-response vehicles mean they can still provide specialist life-saving care by road.

All of these life-saving treatments are demanding in a hospital environment and yet, for the medical teams at Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex, they are treatments that must be administered in all weathers, sometimes at night and in fields, and in woods or on remote pathways in order to save lives. That to us is incredible, and for that we say thank you for being there.

In Oct 2019 AAKSS attended a school where Charlie an eight-year-old pupil had hit his head when he fell. He was unresponsive and having constant seizures. The AAKSS crew knew exactly what needed to be done. When they assessed Charlie, they were very concerned about his head injury so they placed him into an induced coma right there on the playground. This treatment was vital – it prevented further swelling to his brain, stopped the seizures and meant they could control his breathing

The crew decided to fly Charlie to St George’s Hospital in London, a Major Trauma Centre that could give him the best care. After what felt like the longest 24 hours of  Charlie’s family’s life, Charlie finally started to wake up and respond in small ways.

Charlie made a full recovery.

On the 25th Oct 2018, around 8:30pm on a dark October evening, 14-year-old Joe Pelham was cycling at the junction of the A31 and the Coxbridge Roundabout in Farnham when he was hit by a car.

Soon on the scene, the AAKSS crew took over Joe’s care, dealing with multiple and critical injuries to his head, chest, stomach and legs at the roadside.

They administered an anaesthetic, blood products in the form of plasma and performed emergency chest surgery to treat a damaged and collapsed lung before hurrying Joe by road to St George’s Hospital under blue lights.

At hospital, Joe underwent surgery to repair his liver, stomach, lungs and a fractured skull. He was then placed in an induced coma for more than a week to give his body the chance to heal itself.

Over the next eight weeks, Joe underwent further surgery, rehabilitation and physiotherapy. He was finally allowed home just before Christmas.

On the 28th Sept 2018 Sam Jenner was getting ready for work when she suddenly collapsed from a cardiac arrest. At the time, she was 23 weeks and five days pregnant with her son, Jack.

She knew nothing of what happened until she woke in hospital three days later. She had survived thanks to the skill of the Air Ambulance medics who came to her aid. They were able to keep Sam alive and transfer her quickly into the specialist care of King’s College Hospital, London.

Two months later, on November 29, Jack was born in King’s College Hospital, and on December 12, Sam underwent heart surgery. She was determined to be home by Christmas.

True to her word, Jack and mum Sam left hospital on December 18 in time for them all to spend Christmas at home together.

This is the work the amazing people at the Air Ambulance Kent Surrey & Sussex do.  To each and every individual member of the team, we say thank you for all that you do. Each of you are amazing.

The Shepwayvox Team

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