BY CATRIONA GALLEN
DONEGAL'S first air ambulance will take to the skies in June next year.
The crucial air ambulance service is the first of its kind to operate in Ireland and will be on hand to give emergency treatment at the roadside in all major incidents.
A state-of-the-art multi million euro helicopter stocked with accident and emergency medical equipment will have a trauma doctor and surgeon on board who will give roadside assistance to car crash victims or those involved in a major incident such as a shooting, fire or industrial accident.
Operating 365 days a year, the aircraft works within the "Golden Hour" and will the region cover from Belfast to Galway. From a 999 call this fully equipped Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Air Ambulance will be tasked, airborne and en route in under 3 minutes with a fully trained trauma doctor and trauma paramedic on board.
It will be officially confirmed in the coming few weeks the exact location for this service, but at present it is thought the leading candidate is the Tyrone County Hospital in Omagh where a helipad already exists.
Preparations have been ongoing since the Alpha 5 charity was formed in 2006. All operational costs for the air ambulance will be funded by charitable donations and corporate funding.
Already a dedicated team of consultants and surgeons from across Ireland have committed themselves to working with the Air ambulance. Experienced pilots and operators are on board to man the helicopter. All that is needed now is the funds to operate the charity run service. The National Health Service in Northern Ireland are contributing toward the cost of employing medics.
A major fund raising drive for the air ambulance was launched in Northern Ireland last year with a operational date envisaged for 2010, however the donations have been flooding in and the launch has been brought forward to June 2009.
Fundraiser with the charity Alpha 5, Mr Eoin McConnell is this month targeting the people and businesses of Donegal.
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