Air ambulance attends second recent incident

Air ambulance attends second recent incident

2 August 2017

NORTHERN Ireland’s new air ambulance has attended the scene of a second serious incident in the district within a week.

The crew attended a young boy who was seriously injured in a farm accident on July 22 in Castlewellan before flying him to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. 

Five days later, the crew was at the scene of a serious road accident on the Saintfield Road outside Ballynahinch.

Three people were in the car when the incident happened shortly after 3pm last Thursday. It is understood the vehicle rolled a number of times before coming to rest in a field.

The air ambulance crew joined two paramedic crews at the scene where the driver and two passengers were out of the vehicle before the emergency services arrived. 

One of those injured was subsequently flown to Musgrave Park Hospital before being transferred to the Royal Victoria, while one of the other occupants of the car was taken to the same hospital by ambulance.

A hospital spokeswoman described the condition of the passengers taken to the Royal as “stable.”

Rowallane councillor, Billy Walker, has praised the new air ambulance service which he said will “undoubtedly save lives.”

He continued: “There is a doctor and paramedic on board which ensures people who are seriously injured can be attended to in minutes. We live in a large rural area and given recent concerns about emergency ambulance cover, this new service is a God-send.

“The new service will deliver maximum benefit to patients through the treatment those on board can provide at the scene before being transferred to the most appropriate hospital. The fact the air ambulance was in Castlewellan and Saintfield within a few days shows how invaluable this service is.”

Councillor Walker said prior to the arrival of the new air ambulance, Northern Ireland was the only part of the UK which did not have a lifesaving service.

He added: “The fact we now have a medical intervention service delivered by a doctor and paramedic at the scene of an incident is hugely significant and will make a key difference to saving lives. The new helicopter service will complement the excellent service already provided by paramedics on the ground.”