Cornwalls Air Ambulance Service

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CORNWALL LEADS THE WAY

Cornwall's Air Ambulance, the first in the United Kingdom, was brought into service on 1 April 1987 by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority as a joint venture with Bond Helicopters Ltd, one of Britain's foremost helicopter operators.
The county ideally lends itself to a service of this kind, having a widely scattered population, many of whom live in isolated rural communities.

Operational costs for the Air Ambulance now average £35,000 a month - the cost of the paramedics is met by the District Health Authority, by whom they are employed. Since January 1988, the cost of running the aircraft has been met by public donations.
An important innovation in August 1988 was the introduction of the First Air Ambulance Lottery, now selling over 30,000 tickets each week and netting the Trust about £12-£15,000 every month. Bankers ' order and covenant donations add an extra £6,000 to the fund and the remainder has been made up from continuing community fund raising efforts.

From an experimental beginning over 8 years ago, Cornwall's Air Ambulance has now proved itself to be an invaluable addition to the county's emergency services.
The people of Cornwall have taken the Air Ambulance and its dedicated crew to their hearts and demonstrated, in the most tangible way possible, their overwhelming belief in it. They are justifiably proud of what they now call OUR Air Ambulance. Furthermore, it is the FIRST Air Ambulance and for once, Cornwall, so often looked upon as a poor relation from "out in the sticks ', is showing the country a lead, which others are now following.

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