Perth-based Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) marks 10 years of life-saving service

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) marked its 10th anniversary yesterday, reflecting on a decade of life-saving service to communities in every corner of Scotland.Since May 22, 2013, the charity has responded to nearly 5000 call-outs, raised over £50 million and flown nearly half a million miles, saving thousands of lives and impacting on thousands more, particularly in remote and rural areas.In 10 years, the charity has grown from a one aircraft service at Perth to a two-helicopter fleet based at Perth and Aberdeen, with two Rapid Response Vehicles responding to nearby emergencies.It has more than doubled the crew numbers, extended its operational hours, developed its workforce and built an army of nearly 200 volunteers nationwide.SCAA’s first mission was to airlift Tricia Mackenzie, seriously injured when her car swerved to avoid a deer and left the road near Dunoon on May 23, 2013.

Their arrival turned a two-hour road trip to hospital into a 12-minute mercy flight.Now, crews are responding to an average of three emergencies every day, sometimes as many as 12, with Tricia’s words from 10 years ago proving prophetic: “SCAA is an absolutely brilliant addition to Scotland’s life-saving resources, and I have nothing but praise for the pilots and paramedics who crew it,” she said at the time.“This helicopter and its amazing team will save a lot of lives in Scotland and I’m so glad they were there for me during what was a terrifying experience.”SCAA is fully integrated into the 999 emergency response network, deployed by the Scottish Ambulance Service special services desk to serious illness and injury anywhere in Scotland and its many islands.