Pictures: Don MacMonagle
EMERGENCY health care in Kerry was given a significant boost when the first-ever charity air ambulance service touched down at Kerry Airport in Farranfore.
The Irish Community Rapid Response unit is dedicated to pre-hospital care and is running the helicopter service in co-operation with the HSE National Ambulance Service. It will enter full-time daylight hours service next month.
The air ambulance is expected to respond up to 500 calls per year and bring the population of a 10,000 square mile area within 20 minutes of critical medical care. It will be tasked through the National Ambulance Service 999/112 call system.
The chopper will be based in Cork but will be available for missions nationwide and the crew will coordinate with the existing Athlone-based Emergency Aeromedical Service. It will be particularly beneficial to those that have sustained injuries in road traffic accidents, equestrian, agricultural, industrial and sporting incidents, falls and impact injuries and more medical considerations such as cardiac events, strokes and anaphylaxis.
During the next month the ICRR Air Ambulance will be touring the communities it will service to help raise awareness and support fundraising. With helicopter fuel costing €350 per hour, or roughly €5 per minute, the service will cost €2 million to run annually and it is to be funded through community and donor contributions.
ICRR CEO John Kearney said lives will be saved and families’ grief spared and he called for strong public support in order to maintain and develop the service.
“Since 2008, ICRR has developed a network of over 200 land-based volunteer doctors throughout Ireland who deliver critical medical interventions which prevent serious injury or death. We have ten Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs) successfully in operation.
“We are now taking to the air and will mirror successful international models. The air service will include medical crew on board and rapid transport to a critical care facility,” Mr Kearney said.
A group of international consultants has appealed for the medical team on board Ireland’s first community-run air ambulance to be made up of a doctor and a paramedic.
More information on the service is available at www.icrr.ie.
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