As well as our yellow and green helicopter flying overhead, you may see us driving to critical emergencies in one of our emergency response vehicles.
What equipment do the cars carry?
Our four cars, two Volvo XC90s and two Skoda Superbs, carry the same equipment as the Air Ambulance, such as blood products, defibrillators, monitors that can record ECG’s, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and carbon dioxide levels, giving our patients the same care as if the helicopter had responded.
Each car has been specially converted and given a blue light fit-out to get the very best equipment and crew to our patient’s side as quickly as possible.
Why use a car and not the helicopter?
In September 2022 we added an additional Critical Care Paramedic car shift, ensuring we can respond to even more patients who need our help. You may see our paramedics in this car driving to missions that either don’t require our helicopter-based doctor and paramedic team or as extra support at complex or multi-casualty incidents.
The other occasions we take to the roads instead of the skies is when our aircraft is offline due to poor weather conditions or on the rare occasion when there is a mechanical problem with our helicopter.
Additionally, these vehicles provide a vital training platform for doctors and paramedics to help grow sustainable numbers of these highly specialised professionals.
Watch the video below of HEMS Doctor, Vic Rehnberg, taking you around the inside of one of our Emergency Response Vehicles: