Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance
SCAA Week Appeal 2022
Our life-saving crew will be there for you if the worst happens. Will you be there for them when we celebrate our 9th anniversary this SCAA Week?
Story
Every single day at our two bases in Scotland, and no matter the weather, our crew stand ready to respond to the most critical emergencies.
Whether it's by our air ambulance helicopters or rapid response vehicles, our specially trained paramedics and pilots bring life-saving treatment and care to patients, giving them the best possible chance of survival when the worst happens. From the furthest reaches of our outer islands to the highest peaks, broadest lochs and right across the central belt of our nation, we'll be there to save lives and improve outcomes for our patients.
We are so proud to serve our population in Scotland of over five million. But as a charity, we receive no statutory government funding. We are Scotland's only charity air ambulance, funded by people like you, for people like you.
Over the last nine years, we've responded to almost 4,000 call outs, reaching people who have fallen down mountains and off horses, suffered from farm and industrial accidents, dog attacks, and car and motorcycle collisions. We've helped people to survive heart attacks, drowning and hypothermia. We've given children the chance to grow up and we've kept families together.
Last year as we emerged from lockdowns, we recorded our busiest year ever, with emergency call outs soaring well beyond pre-pandemic levels. In fact, our crews at our Aberdeen and Perth airbases were deployed 810 times in 2021 alone!
Behind these numbers are the people we love - our family, relatives, friends, neighbours and colleagues. And it's only because of you, our amazing supporters, who kept our charity in your hearts, that we were able to provide more care, more quickly to more people than ever before. But right now, the cost of our service is increasing. Fuel for our rapid response vehicles and helicopters is at a record high and the cost of emergency equipment and medical supplies continues to grow.
So please, support us this SCAA Week with a special anniversary donation. Your gift could help us respond to an emergency like Brandon's, who broke his neck coming off his motorbike in a difficult to reach quarry.
When Brandon hit a concealed tree root at a disused quarry near Glenrothes, Fife, he catapulted over the handlebars, landing on a tree stump and injuring his spine. As the location of the accident made it impossible to get Brandon out safely by road, our air ambulance was the best and fastest way to get Brandon to a specialist hospital, without causing further significant damage.
Our Paramedic Team Leader, John Pritchard, who attended that day explained:
We arrived from Perth by air ambulance within 15 minutes of getting the call, landing just above Brandon. He was lying absolutely still, which always sets off alarm bells. We expected it was a severe spinal injury and spent time administering pain medication, keeping him warm and stabilising him. We then used our special scoop stretcher to transport him to Ninewells Major Trauma Centre, where he underwent surgery and made a slow, but full recovery.
Brandon told us:
I thought I could be paralysed, that I might never walk again. The SCAA paramedics got me out of an almost totally inaccessible location and made sure I got to specialist surgical care in the fastest possible time with the minimum impact on my injuries. I owe so much to everyone who helped me that awful day - but I know it was SCAA that made the difference.
Every day our crew responds to emergencies like Brandon's, giving people the best possible chance when the worst happens. So please, make a donation of £30 or whatever you can afford this SCAA Week, and help keep our service running.
