In a disheartening development over the past year, it has been seen that the call outs for air ambulance services in London has been more due to crime- related incidents such as stabbing and shooting. While such call outs were not unheard of earlier, the trend now is that these are the primary reasons why air ambulance services are being requested lately. In the year 2017, London’s air ambulance services saw a total of 560 critical injuries related to stabbings and shootings. The number clearly exceeds the calls for assistance related to motor vehicle collisions, which was never the case in earlier years.
Unfortunately, the Calls are Turning Out to be Very Common
A medical practitioner who closely works with air ambulance services revealed that it is no more uncommon to treat two stab victims in one single day. The trend was unimaginable a few years ago, said the same doctor. He also revealed that the advancements in technology have meant that they have been able to save more lives. One charity said that about 31% of all their patients had either been stabbed or shot. It was heartening to see that the motor vehicle collision cases had actually come down. It seems that on one hand we are seeing more responsible drivers and on the other hand crimes that absolutely have no value for human lives.
Statistics Revealed by Air Ambulance Services are Reflective of a Societal Problem
The paramedics, pilots and doctors related to air ambulance services have umpteen stories related to crimes, clearly reflective of what’s happening in London’s society. The city has seen a 13% increase in murders last year. Even more concerning is the fact that there has been a 21% increase in crimes related to stabbing. This year alone, there have been 8 street deaths in London.
