The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) service has relocated to a new £3.6 million purpose-built airbase with headquarters at Southampton Airport (SOU). The building was officially opened on June 9, following a period of operational testing alongside the airport’s commercial airlines and air traffic control.
Halving response times
Data shows around 70% of the region’s medical emergencies occur near Southampton, Winchester and the Isle of Wight. The charity therefore took the decision to relocate from its airbase of 19 years in Thruxton, in order to be able to more effectively reach every patient in the region within just 10 minutes of take-off. This aim was achieved by their effective fundraising campaign ‘Operation Airbase’, with the required £3.6 million raised from over 13,000 donors in less than two years.
“This airbase is going to unlock so much potential for the future of our service and our patients. We have a constant drive to evolve and improve and we’re always searching for the next advantage that could make a difference to our patients. I am convinced that the opening of this airbase is going to provide just that.”
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Medical Lead, Dr Chris Hill.
Crucial support
In 1987, the Cornwall Air Ambulance charity was the first to operate a helicopter for medical emergencies and today, there are currently 21 air ambulance services operating in the UK. Southampton is not the only airport in the UK to facilitate patient transport operations. Norwich International Airport (NWI) is home to Air Ambulance charity SkyAngels, which uses a helicopter and a number of fixed-wing aircraft to support the NHS. Glasgow International Airport (GLA) is also home to The Scottish Ambulance Air Base.
Over the late May bank holiday weekend in the UK, HM Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 199 landed at Carlisle Lake District Airport (CAX) after transporting a patient from the Lake District.
During COVID, Indian airports Mumbai (BOM) and Delhi (DEL) became the ‘epicentre‘ for Air Ambulance flights with 140 flights operated during April and May 2021.
As well as being ideal emergency bases, airports can be crucial in supporting emergency services during periods of high demand.
Have you ever seen an Air Ambulance in action at an airport? Share your experiences in the comments below.
