South Wales Central MS Visits Wales Air Ambulance

Regional MS Joel James was delighted to recently spend a few very enjoyable hours with the team of Wales Air Ambulance at their heliport in Cardiff Bay.

Joel was hosted on a socially distanced visit, by members of the trust’s board, who gave an insightful presentation about the work of the EMERTS (Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service), the people who work there, the sort of call outs they attend, as well as how the charity funds itself.

Joel watched a simulation on an unconscious patient and was impressed by the skill and speed of the paramedics, and the state of the art equipment used – whilst also noting how costly the EMERTS service must be to maintain.

Speaking after the visit, Joel said:

“I’m delighted to have been able to visit the Welsh Air Ambulance today, the team here work incredibly hard and fulfil a vital role, which was definitely brought home to me whilst witnessing the Air Ambulance leave to attend a live call out.”

“ I’m astounded at the skill of the team and thoroughly enjoyed watching a simulation of an emergency situation. We all hope never to be in a situation where we need an air ambulance, but it’s extremely reassuring to know they are there if we ever do. I intend to support the Welsh Air Ambulance throughout my term, in whatever way I can and would urge everyone else to do so.”

The Welsh Air Ambulance provides 24 hour air cover to relieve illness and injury across Wales and relies entirely on donations to raise £8 million each year to maintain their operation. The impact of covid has slightly impacted fundraising, but thankfully the generosity of public donations has meant not only has the service been able to continue, but has recently increased from a daytime service to 24 hours a day.