DSAA Beeline, Issue 1 2017

WHAT WE DO
Roving Reporter
Dorset Echo Reporter Rachel Stretton went behind the scenes with our
crew to write a piece for the newspaper
phone call is all it takes to change the mood.
A
The air ambulance crew go from sitting
round a table, laughing, and quickly switch
to professional mode. Critical Care Paramedic Mark
Williams gets as much information from the call handler
as he can, while Pilot Phil Merritt starts up the helicopter.
Doctor ‘Izzy’ checks the kit and Trainee Critical Care
Paramedic Steve Westbrook consults a map on the wall,
which has a simple mechanism used to show exactly how
far the job is and how long it will take to get there.
They don’t run – it’s important they don’t fall and
injure themselves – but walk calmly and quickly towards
the waiting helicopter.
Outside, the blades are whirring and there’s a
strong smell of petrol in the wintry air. The yellow air
ambulance rises and moves forward, quickly becoming a
speck in the distance. They’re gone…
The transformation takes just minutes; these are
people used to springing into action and, despite the best
efforts of the call handlers to get as much information
to the crew as possible, there are times when there’s no
telling what they’re going to.
The air ambulance is often called to remote locations
or when a patient has suffered some type of major
trauma. They’re usually not the first emergency service
on scene, but their unique selling point is that they bring
12 01823 669604 | www.dsairambulance.org.uk
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