[IMG: 2159 border=”0″ alt=”air ambulance” align=”left” width=”180″ height=”108″]The Rotary Club of Bexhill has presented a cheque for £500 to the Kent, Surrey, Sussex (KSS) Air Ambulance. Immediate Past President, Mike Barton, Honorary Secretary, Anthony Thomas and Publicity Officer, Roger Batey presented the cheque in recognition of the valuable work that the KSS Ambulance Service provides in saving lives.
The KSS Air Ambulance is a charity which receives no statutory funding and the £5m per year cost of keeping it in the air is funded solely by donations. Each helicopter is crewed by an experienced pilot, doctor and paramedic. Between them they are able to stabilise those who are critically ill and injured. They also perform a number of specialist procedures at the scene of an incident which are normally only available in emergency hospital departments.
The helicopter was parked outside on standby when the Rotarians arrived and they were able to have a look round it and see the functions and equipment. Bexhill’s Immediate Past President, Mike Barton said: “By bringing the hospital to the patient they are able to take the patient quickly and directly by land or air to the most appropriate hospital. The service is available to everyone who lives, works or is travelling through the region, completely free of charge."
Shortly after presenting the cheque, the ambulance was called out and the Rotarians were able to watch the team spring into action. Mike Barton concluded: “It was good to see the helicopter take off after seeing the equipment on board and to know that our donation is being put to such good use in saving lives on a daily basis.”
