Devon Air Ambulance crew take on 37 mile walk from Airbase 2 Airbase
Devon Air Ambulance’s clinical aircrew are to take part in a 37-mile challenge to help raise awareness of the charity and raise much-needed funds to help keep them responding.
Devon Air Ambulance have two helicopters, and two emergency response Critical Care Cars that may swiftly come to the aid of local people in the event of a medical emergency.
One of each of these vehicles is located at two different airbases: at Exeter Airport and another in North Devon at Eaglescott Airbase. The DAA aircraft can reach even the furthest parts of Devon in around 15-20 minutes to deliver the specialist critical care that their patient may need.
Everything the crew uses to provide this care has to be portable so that it be carried to the patient, wherever they may be. Much of this life saving kit is carefully packed into two large red and blue response bags each weighing approximately 17kg each.
On the 15th May, at the start of their day shift, two intrepid crew members, Dr Dave Potter and Advanced Paramedic in Critical Care, Alex Sanders-Page will be setting off from the charity’s North Devon Airbase and will walk over 37 miles to their Exeter airbase, each carrying one of those huge response bags.
Their aim is to reach their destination in around 11-12 hours. To further enhance the challenge, the route is not direct and reflects the back lanes and rural country roads that the DAA crew often find themselves navigating to reach their patient.
The final few miles will be through Exeter along the B3183 through Heavitree and anyone wishing to join the crew and support them for the last leg of their journey would be welcome. E.T.A. at Heavitree will be posted on the charity’s Facebook page in good time for you to tag along. Unfortunately, due to airport security regulations the crew will have to bid you goodbye when they then reach the North Gate entrance to the airport.
DAA crew arrive for their shifts 365 days of the year and use their expert knowledge, the vast range of equipment, and, of course, the Helicopter and Critical Care Cars to look after their patients. Being a charity that receives no government funding, all of this is only possible due to the donations that are received from kind and generous donors.
A busy training schedule is already underway for this mammoth task and the progress of the Airbase 2 Airbase Challenge can be found on their Facebook page here: https://bit.ly/Airbase2Airbase
If you are a business and would like to support Alex and Dave before or during the challenge as they make their journey across the county, please get in touch by contacting Devon Air Ambulance’s Corporate Engagement Manager Tracy at t.owen@daat.org.
Every penny raised will help to keep the Devon Air Ambulance crew responding to whoever may need their urgent help across Devon and beyond. If you would like to show your support, please donate to the crew’s Just Giving page here: https://bit.ly/Airbase2AirbaseDonate
