Air Ambulance Service is saving lives nationwide – Callaghan

652 air ambulance service missions took place last year, demonstrating the nationwide reach that underpins this vital service, a Fine Gael Deputy has said.

Deputy Catherine Callaghan received a county-by-county breakdown from the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris, which shows the positive impact played by our Emergency Aeromedical Service (EAS) on a daily basis.

Deputy Callaghan said: “These figures provided to me by the Tánaiste show first-hand how every county benefits from the EAS.

“But behind the numbers are real families and real people, lives that would not be here today were it not for our incredible Defence Force and healthcare personnel.

“As a former Defence Force Member myself, I know extremely well the commitment and dedication shown by the personnel behind our air ambulance service.

“I was really pleased to see the announcement by my colleague Simon Harris that Athlone will remain the home of the air ambulance service, ensuring our rural communities in particular are protected and supported.”

The air ambulance responds to a wide variety of critical incidents across Ireland.

Missions frequently involve significant trauma resulting from falls, road traffic collisions as well as medical emergencies.

The service provides rapid transport for patients of all ages, often to major trauma centres or specialist units in Dublin, such as Beaumont, Tallaght, and CHI Crumlin.

The geographical spread covers numerous counties, demonstrating the national reach of the service.

Deputy Callaghan continued: “I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the team in our air ambulance service, that makes such a difference to communities across the country, including in my own counties of Carlow and Kilkenny.

“These figures demonstrate the crucial role that the air ambulance service plays in providing rapid medical response to critical situations, often in remote or hard-to-reach areas.

“It’s a service that is provided 365 days of the year and has ensured some of our sickest patients received emergency care at the most critical of periods – making such an incredible difference to so many families the length and breadth of our state.”