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Thu, 12 Oct 2023
The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) has revealed the crucial adaptations it has made to enable it to serve the Isle of Man.
To allow for the extended flight over water to the Isle of Man, which is 35 minutes, GNAAS had to make several adaptations, both to their aircraft and the staff training.
The charity’s aircraft have had flotation devices fitted to them in case of needing to ditch in open water to help remain afloat. These help to keep the aircraft buoyant and allow time for the team to escape, and there are also rescue rafts fitted to the aircraft.
To ensure all team members are appropriately skilled on the required actions in the event of a water landing, they have been introduced to “dunker tank” training.
This involves team members being submerged in a simulated airframe and allows them the opportunity to rehearse exiting the aircraft in water. The simulation is carried out in both light and darkness to increase the degree of realism and prepare the team for any possible scenario that they may encounter.
Since the partnership began, GNAAS has responded to the Isle of Man by helicopter 33 times and transferred many patients to specialist hospitals in the UK.
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