Wiltshire Air Ambulance was established in March 1990 as a
joint venture between the Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust and the Wiltshire Constabulary. Sharing resources kept costs down and the charity needed £700,000 a year to keep Wiltshire’s air ambulance in the skies. In January 2015 they started operating a dedicated air ambulance which means they must raise £3.25m a year. 

They are a registered charity and rely almost entirely
on public donations to keep them flying. They really are funded by you and flying for you. They are going to build a new airbase for their helicopter, aircrew and charity team. They received full planning permission in January 2017 on land at Outmarsh Farm, Semington, near Wiltshire. The site is ideally situated in central Wiltshire, allowing the helicopter to reach all parts of the county within 11 minutes, just as they are able to do now. 

They have launched an Airbase Appeal to raise the remaining
£1.25 million to build and equip the new airbase.

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance fly up to 19 hours a day and attend,
on average, 3 potentially life-saving missions a day. The speed of their
helicopter, along with the skill of our crew, can make the difference between life and death. They provide an essential Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) throughout the county and beyond. The crew works alongside SWASfT (the South Western Ambulance Service foundation Trust) land crews and other emergency services to deliver the best medical care possible to anybody who lives, works or travels in Wiltshire.

They are called to all kinds of emergencies, from road
traffic collisions to cardiac incidents, child-related emergencies to
horse-riding and cycling injuries. They began carrying blood on the helicopter and rapid response vehicle in August 2015. At the time they were one of two air ambulances in the South West of England to do so. This innovation means their Critical Care Paramedics can give emergency blood transfusions to patients before they are taken to hospital, giving them a better chance of survival. If the blood is not used it is returned to Southmead Hospital by the volunteer blood bikers after 24 hours. Any unused blood is able to put back
into the Southmead Hospital blood bank, preventing waste.

www.wiltshireairambulance.co.uk