Record number of callouts for air ambulance

An air ambulance charity was called to a record-breaking number of incidents in 2024 attending almost 300 more people than the previous year.

Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) responded to 2,272 people in need of critical care, an increase of about 15% compared to 2023. On average each mission costs about £2,200 to attend, it added.

The charity, which covers Bristol, Somerset, Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire, said cardiac arrest was the leading cause of callouts.

Charity CEO Anna Perry said she was "very proud" of its efforts, but warned of a "tough challenge ahead", with rising operating costs.

She added: "We're hopeful that our local community will recognise the support we need from them due to this increased demand and will help us be there for those who need us in the future."

Since the charity started in 2007, incident numbers have been steadily increasing and the demand for the service is now higher than ever.

In 2024, GWAAC's crew was tasked to more babies, children and teenagers in urgent need of critical care than ever before.

Despatches to young people have risen year on year for the last three years and in 2024 they reached a new level when the crew was called to help 379 people within that age group (17% of GWAAC's total call-outs), it said.

Tim Ross-Smith, GWAAC's operations officer said: "We're now seeing six patients a day on average within our operating hours.

"Demand generally across the NHS is up and we're getting more requests for assistance from our local land ambulance crews on top of the traditional air ambulance call-outs for incidents like road traffic collisions and cardiac arrests."

Overall, serious medical-related incidents accounted for 55% of the charity's total missions in 2024, while trauma-related injuries accounted for 45% of callouts.

The crew was called to 501 people in cardiac arrest.

According to GWAAC, only 8% of people who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survive, but Mr Ross-Smith said receiving bystander CPR within the first two minutes can double the chance of survival.

Forrest Wheeler suffered a cardiac arrest in 2017 while taking part in a parkrun through Pittville Park in Cheltenham.

"Fortunately for me, there were a lot of NHS professionals at that parkrun who started CPR immediately," he said.

"Without a doubt, without the help of Great Western Air Ambulance Charity, I wouldn't be here today."

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