Devon Air Ambulance joins the growing list of air ambulance service providers who are extending their services to provide night flights. A new community landing site has been prepared at the Broadclyst Recreation Field, so that the service’s helicopter will be able to land safely at night.
Lighting Installed at New Landing Site
The new landing site at the Recreation Field has been fitted with lighting that will facilitate emergency night operations for the air ambulance service. The lighting will be remotely operated by the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services. Broadclyst Parish Council will be looking after the new landing facility.
A part of the funding for this new facility has been covered by the Parishes Together Fund, run by the Devon County Council and the East Devon District Council. Devon Air Ambulance also received funding from fines through the Bank Libor. These banking fines were able to cover part of the funding for the facility as well.
Essential Night Time Air Ambulance Service for Broadclyst
According to statements from a member of the decision making panel of the Parishes Together Fund, the floodlit landing site will ensure that paramedics can safely reach the heart of the Broadclyst community and deliver crucial medical transport service even at night. The panel has expressed their excitement to provide the project with necessary funding.
Devon Air Ambulance’s Community Landing Sites Officer, Toby Russell expressed the team’s delight for the night landing site, which is now operational. The air ambulance crew will be able to provide emergency service till midnight every day. They also expect to provide their services for longer when they further extend their operations in the future.
Since the project has received sufficient funding from Libor bank fines and the Parish Together Fund, it has been nearly cost-neutral for the community.
