Abbreviation WAA Legal status Registered charity | Formation 1990 Region served UK | |
Purpose Treating and transporting critically ill patients to hospital Location Operations Centre, Wiltshire Police HQ, Devizes. Head office Carlton Business Centre, Maundrell Road, Calne, Wiltshire. | ||
Wiltshire Air Ambulance is an essential helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS), primarily for the people of Wiltshire and adjacent English counties, and those passing through the county.
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It is run by Wiltshire Air Ambulance Charitable Trust, a registered charity.
History
The service was formed on 15 March 1990 as a joint venture between Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust and Wiltshire Constabulary using a joint helicopter, based at Police Headquarters in Devizes.
The Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal, a registered charity, was set up to raise funds for Wiltshire Air Ambulance. It was run by Wiltshire Ambulance Service and later by Great Western Ambulance Service (GWAS). GWAS was the sole trustee of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal.
In October 2011 the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Charitable Trust (WAACT) was formed to run Wiltshire Air Ambulance. The new charity was independent of the ambulance service. The charity paid about a third of the cost of the joint helicopter with Wiltshire Police paying the remaining two thirds. For the charity, this amounted to about £700,000 a year.
The collaboration with Wiltshire Police ended on 31 December 2014 due to Wiltshire Police joining the National Police Air Service.
On 9 January 2015 Wiltshire Air Ambulance began operations as a stand-alone air ambulance. Operating a dedicated air ambulance means the costs are higher and the charity needs to raise £3.25 million a year. WAACT signed a lease with Wiltshire Police enabling the air ambulance to be based at Wiltshire Police's Headquarters in Devizes until 31 December 2017, while the charity finds a site to build a new home housing the helicopter, aircrew and charity team.
Operations
The helicopter is a Bell 429 and is the first of its type to operate as an air ambulance in the UK. It is one of the most advanced light twin helicopters ever developed, offering exceptional flight performance, low operating cost and proven reliability.
WAACT leases the Bell 429 from Heli Charter, Bell's UK agent, with whom it has a 10-year contract.
It has a top speed of 180 mph (156 knots) and a maximum cruising speed of 173 mph (150 knots). It can reach anywhere in the county within 11 minutes.
The normal crew configuration is one pilot and two paramedics. The pilots are employed by Heli Charter while the paramedics are employed by South Western Ambulance Service and seconded to Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
The aircraft is fitted with an Aerolite medical interior. On board is all the kit you would find on a land ambulance, with extra specialist equipment ,all paid for by donations.
On average the helicopter is called out 2-3 times a day and flies up to 19 hours a day.
Its registration number is G-WLTS and call sign is Helimed22.
Fundraising
WAACT charity raises money from several sources, including lotteries, textile recycling, collection tins, community fundraising, corporate fundraising, its Westbury charity shop and legacies.