The region's state-of-the-art new air ambulance took centre stage at Hatfield House on Sunday at a special launch event.
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) officials celebrated the launch of their new AW169 helicopter at the Heli-bration event, which attracted more than 4,000 people from across the two counties.
This free event, held in the picturesque grounds of Hatfield House, featured a variety of family-friendly activities and displays.
The event was graced by VIP guests including Lord and Lady Salisbury, who kindly hosted the event, the Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire Robert Voss CBE, and councillors from Essex and Hertfordshire.
Also among the special guests on Sunday was TV personality, 2008 Strictly Come Dancing finalist and 2022 Celebrity MasterChef winner Lisa Snowdon, who hails from Welwyn Garden City.
An EHAAT Celebrity Ambassador, Lisa was joined at the Heli-bration event by new Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce CEO Donna Shultz, and the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire Annie Brewster.
Jane Gurney, CEO of EHAAT, said: "Today will go down in EHAAT’s history as one of our biggest celebrations.
"It is truly humbling to be joined by so many of our amazing supporters from the communities we serve including dedicated volunteers, community fundraisers, donors, corporate partners, former patients and their families to celebrate this momentous occasion.
"It fills me with so much joy to see what amazing support we have for YOUR local life-saving air ambulance.
"Thank you to everyone who supports the charity — we simply couldn’t fly without you!”
Sponsored by Fishpools, Gama Aviation, Gates Ford, Leonardo, Milbank, Rickard Luckin, and SRC Group, the highlight of the day was EHAAT’s new AW169 helicopter.
Visitors to Hatfield Park on Sunday had the unique opportunity to see inside the helicopter and meet the air ambulance crew.
There was a spectacular moment at the end of the afternoon when Sarah and her son Ben Soanes, winners of a special competition, took off in the helicopter to the cheers of the crowd and dramatic music, creating a memorable experience for all.
Sunday's event in the grounds of Lord Salisbury's stately home offered a wide range of free activities, including face-painting, arts and crafts, emergency vehicle ride-ons, bungee runs, games, and stalls.
Live music by Perfect Vintage added to the celebrations.
The CPR Zone offered valuable life-saving skills and defibrillator training to visitors of all ages, equipping them with essential knowledge for emergencies.
The EHAAT Pop-Up Charity Shop also featured a range of pre-loved items, with proceeds supporting the charity.
In the arena, visitors witnessed an impressive ‘Emergency Service Moulage’ of a motorbike accident, delivered by the EHAAT Critical Care team, Bikerdown, East of England Ambulance Service, the police and fire service personnel.
This demonstration showcased the collaborative efforts of emergency services in providing critical care at the roadside.
Spectacular displays by Eden Falconry and UK Sniffer Dogs also entertained the crowd.
To find out about Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, including patient stories or to donate, visit ehaat.org
About Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT)
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) is a charity that provides a Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) for the critically ill and injured of Essex, Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas.
The service is provided free of charge, but the charity receives limited direct funding from the Government and none from the National Lottery.
It costs in excess of £1 million every month to keep the service operational and cover all charitable costs. This would not be possible without the goodwill of people in Essex, and Hertfordshire.
Each of the charity’s HEMS teams consist of two pilots, a pre-hospital care doctor and a critical care paramedic.
These teams attended 2,705 missions in 2023, with each mission costing around £2,800.
Breakdown of missions for 2023 were:
- 549 road traffic collisions
- 1,105 medical emergencies
- 1,051 accidental injuries and other trauma incidents
- 1,471 missions were delivered by air ambulance
- 1,234 missions were delivered by Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs).
During 2023, EHAAT’s critical care teams treated 76 patients with blood products, involved primarily in road traffic collisions, penetrating injuries and falls.
The fleet consists of two air ambulances, and four RRVs. The RRVs are crewed by a pre-hospital care doctor and a critical care paramedic and carry the same life-saving equipment as the helicopters.
From 7am until 8.30pm, the critical care team provides the service using helicopters based at Earls Colne and North Weald. RRVs are used when the helicopters are unable to fly because of poor weather or maintenance.
Overnight, from 8.30pm to 7.30am, the service is provided using an RRV based at North Weald.
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