Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex

The Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex is an organisation providing emergency medical services through the provision of a helicopter air ambulance covering the three English counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex which are served by the South East Coast Ambulance Service. The helicopters are funded by the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust (KSSAAT) which is a registered charity, raising money from public and private donations in excess of £14 million every year.[3]

"Sussex air ambulance" redirects here. For the former joint police and ambulance service helicopter, see Sussex Police Air Operations Unit.

Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex
G-KSSC AW169 at St George's Hospital
Founded6 November 1989[1]
FounderKate Chivers
TypeCharitable organisation
PurposeTo relieve sick and injured people in South East England and surrounding areas by providing a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and Air Ambulance Service for the benefit of the community.
Location
  • Rochester Airport[2]
Area served
Kent, Surrey, & Sussex, United Kingdom
Aircraft operated
Leonardo AW169
Websitewww.aakss.org.uk
Formerly called
South East Thames Air Ambulance[1]

Formation and history

The service, an expansion of the existing Kent Air Ambulance service, went into operation in 2007,[4] covering the two counties of Sussex and Surrey.[5]

The trust currently operates two helicopters, both AgustaWestland AW169 G-KSST since 2017 and G-KSSC since 2018. Three previous MD 902 Explorers (G-KAAT, G-KSSH and G-KSSH) served the trust throughout the 2000s. The helicopters can fly at nearly 150 mph (130 kn; 240 km/h),[6] making all areas of the three counties accessible within a 20-minute flight.[4]

On 30 October 2015, it was announced that the trust would invest £10M in relocating its flying base near Paddock Wood.[7]

The service supplements the existing air ambulance service provided Sussex Police Air Operations Unit, the helicopter run jointly by Sussex Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service. The operation also has a rapid response car for the crew to use in the event that the helicopter is grounded for any reason. This vehicle was donated in May 2009 by Sussex Police, having formerly been one of their traffic patrol vehicles.[8]

In 2017, one of the trust's two MD Explorer helicopters (G-KAAT) was retired after over 17 years of service for the trust and replaced by a new AgustaWestland 169 helicopter capable of night time flights, giving the trust a 24-hour capability.

In 2018, a second AW169 (G-KSSC) entered service, replacing the ageing MD902. This caused the service to move one of its bases to Rochester Airport, to accommodate the larger helicopter, alongside the existing base at Redhill Aerodrome. The arrival of the new AW169 promoted the rebranding and name change of the charity.

Kent Air Ambulance
G-KSSA and G-KSST
Main article: Kent Air Ambulance

The Kent Air Ambulance Trust became a registered charity established in 1989, serving only Kent. The trust was founded by Kate Chivers,[9] and was originally called the South East Thames Air Ambulance.[10] It initially operated on a part-time basis, but became a seven-day service in January 2000. Shortly afterwards it moved from Rochester Airport to a new base at Marden near Maidstone.[11]

It operated one McDonnell Douglas MD 902 Explorer helicopter, registration G-KAAT, from its headquarters in Marden.

Sussex joint Police Air Operations Unit & Air Ambulance

The MD 902, G-SUSX, was crewed by a pilot, a Sussex Police air observer, who was a fully sworn constable (or sergeant) and a paramedic seconded from South East Coast Ambulance Service, who was also trained as an air observer.

Under the now KSSAAT, the Sussex-based helicopter also served Surrey – creating Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex.

Role

The trust's mission statement is: "relieve sick and injured people in south east England and surrounding areas by providing a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and Air Ambulance Service for the benefit of the community".[12] The trust provides air ambulance cover for the entire county, in association with the South East Coast Ambulance Service, who provide the paramedics that fly with the trust on secondment.[13]

The trust receives no funding from any government body, instead relying on voluntary donations to meet its running costs.[14]

According to the charity's official website, they have attended over 25,000 incidents since their inception in 1989.

See also

References
  1. https://www.aakss.org.uk/about-us/our-history/
  2. https://www.aakss.org.uk/mission-map/
  3. Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex
  4. "Who we are". Sussex Air Ambulance Fund.
  5. "Air Ambulance Coverage Map". Air Ambulance Association UK.
  6. Triggle, Nick (7 October 2008). "We take A&E to the patient". BBC News.
  7. "Kent, Surrey and Sussex air ambulances to fly from new base". bbc.co.uk. 30 October 2015.
  8. "Police gift is boost for rapid response". Mid Sussex Citizen. 6 May 2009. p. 1.
  9. Sturgess, Trevor (25 September 2007). "Naming of air ambulance a tribute to Kate". Kent Messenger.
  10. "Air ambulance founder in honoured". BBC News. 24 September 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  11. Horn, Jenni (17 July 2008). "Building towards a bright future". Kent Messenger.
  12. "Mission Statement". Sussex Air Ambulance.
  13. "Meet the crew". Sussex Air Ambulance.
  14. "Air ambulance seeks patients' aid". BBC News. 14 January 2008.
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