Air Ambulances UK is the national organisation representing, supporting and advocating the lifesaving work of the UK’s 39 air ambulance charities and wider air ambulance sector. We achieve this through offering a dynamic range of Memberships and Fundraising Partnerships. Our Membership options include powerful opportunities to become involved in our clinical, operational and policy research and development programmes, good practice and knowledge sharing forums and committees, Government lobbying on key issues affecting the sector, commercial investment and chance to also benefit from national PR activities, campaigns and events. Our wide range of national Fundraising Partnership opportunities enable nationwide businesses and organisations to benefit from enhanced brand exposure, increased PR opportunities, improved CSR and employee motivation and engagement, as well as providing a powerful way to connect with existing customers and wider audiences. Our Members and Partners play a pivotal role in helping air ambulance charities to save lives on a daily basis across the UK and remain at the forefront of innovation in trauma care, working alongside the wider air ambulance community, helping to reduce loss of life in people with life-threatening injuries or a medical emergency. Top 10 things to know about air ambulance charities The UK’s air ambulance charities are recognised as leaders in pre-hospital care, setting the standard of excellence across the world Air ambulance charities are frontline explorers in the innovation of critical trauma care working alongside the wider medical community Each air ambulance mission depends on the highly-skilled helicopter pilot safely delivering the Critical Care Team to the scene Air ambulance Critical Care Team members are officially called Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) doctors or paramedics Air ambulance charities also use Rapid Response Vehicles to deliver lifesaving Critical Care Teams to patients by road in support of missions by air There are on average two air ambulances in the air at any one time saving lives across the UK On average an air ambulance helicopter takes off every 10 minutes daily Cardiac-related is the most common type of medical emergency lifesaving mission The term air ambulance originated in France. The French military used balloons to transport injured soldiers as early as 1870 Taking to the skies in 1987, Cornwall Air Ambulance was the first air ambulance in the UK
