Your local air ambulance was called out to over 3,000 potential lifesaving missions throughout 2022 as the vital charity continued to provide support to the NHS and local communities when it mattered most.

The Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) along with the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance, (DLRAA) have worked tirelessly around the clock over the past year, and despite the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and increased fuel prices, the charity has continued to provide frontline critical care across its five counties and further afield.

The dedicated crews were tasked to 3,119 potentially lifesaving missions via helicopter and critical care car, with DLRAA responding to 1,708 of the callouts and WNAA responding to 1,411.

The highest number of callouts were to Leicestershire and Rutland with 732, Derbyshire had 558 callouts, Northamptonshire 405 and Warwickshire had 386. A further 397 incidents were responded to across the West Midlands, 472 across Nottinghamshire, 81 across Lincolnshire, and many more split across other neighbouring counties.

Similar to 2021, the highest number of callouts were to medical incidents at 34%, then road traffic collisions at 27%, with the ‘other’ category – consisting of assaults, self-harm, and mental health incidents – accounting for 24% of missions, falls 10%, sports 3% and industrial 2%.

“Despite the economic difficulties everyone has faced over the last year, the generous support from our local communities has meant our dedicated crews, who respond to emergencies on average, 10 times a day, could continue attending lifesaving missions across our counties and further afield,” said Head of Operations for the charity, Philip Bridle.

“Our 24/7 frontline services were enhanced in 2022 as we made clinical developments through bringing blood products onboard and training our critical care paramedics in the use of ultrasound equipment.

“We have plans to further develop in 2023 by bringing new Critical Care Cars online as well as introducing new medical equipment such as ventilators and cardiac monitors, amongst other things, as we head towards our 50,000-mission milestone this year,” added Philip.

2023 is an exciting time for the charity which celebrates, DLRAA’s 15th anniversary and WNAA’s 20th anniversary of vital missions – with each of the charity’s services working tirelessly to save lives and alleviate sickness, wherever and whenever possible.

The charity’s mission is clear, to continue providing leading pre-hospital emergency care to its patients and to support the NHS. As every year, the vital service will again be there – 365 days a year – for those in their hour of need, but to do this they need the continued support of generous people within the local communities.