Air ambulances in Yorkshire will now be able to extend their flying hours and benefit critically ill or injured patients in the region thanks to a significant donation made by the HELP Appeal. The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust received £123,000 from the Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads Appeal.
Funds to be Used for Equipping Leeds General Infirmary Helideck
The funds received from the HELP Appeal will be used to equip the Leeds General Infirmary helideck with critical lighting equipment and fire fighting equipment. This will enable air ambulances to land here much later into the evening and transport patients to and from the Leeds Major Trauma Center.
This will enable the center’s medical staff to quickly intervene and save the lives of seriously ill or injured patients. Leeds Major Trauma Center is among England’s 22 major trauma center that provide round-the-clock medical care. Their service extends to adults located in the West Yorkshire region and children from other regions.
HELP’s Donation Enables Air Ambulances to Save More Lives
The Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads Appeal is a national charity, which was set up with the main purpose of funding new or upgraded equipment for Major Trauma Centres and enable night landing. According to the charity’s chief executive, Robert Bertram, people can suffer from illnesses and injuries at any time – regardless of whether it’s night or day.
And with winter coming, there’s less daylight for air ambulance helicopters to make safe landings at hospital helipads. With the new lighting equipment they’ve funded, the Leeds General Infirmary will be able to solve this problem and enable helicopters to land on their helipad even at night.
Along with the state-of-the-art lighting equipment, the funds will help provide for a static fire-fighting system. This equipment will make it easier to extinguish fires efficiently.