Devon Air Ambulance Shines a Blue Light on the Lifesaving Work of Emergency Services During Air Ambulance Week 

Next week, Air Ambulance charities across the UK will join together to raise awareness of the lifesaving service that each of them provides and is the only week ofthe year dedicated to raising funds that enable these specially skilled teams to keep responding. 

This years’ campaign, led by Air Ambulances UK, the national charity that supports, champions and represents air ambulance charities, is focussed on the powerful message that Every Second Counts and Every Penny Matters when saving the lives of the critically ill or injured.

Nigel Hare, Operations Director at Devon Air Ambulance said,  “The highly advanced lifesaving skills of our clinical teams and the equipment and medicines that we carry, both on board our helicopters and critical care cars, means that we essentially deliver a level of care to our patients that they would not ordinarily receive until they arrive at hospital. This provides all our patients with the very best chance of a successful outcome. 

Although we form a vital part of the frontline emergency services in Devon and work collaboratively with other blue light responders, our lifesaving missions are entirely funded by the kindness and generosity of the communities we serve. We simply couldn’t continue to save lives without this wonderful support.”

This year, Emergency Services Day on Thursday 9th September forms part of the celebration of Air Ambulance Week and Devon Air Ambulance is shining a light on its lifesaving work and that of all emergency responders to mark the occasion.

In association so far with The Box, Plymouth and Exeter City Council, on 9thSeptember both Smeaton’s Tower and the Exeter Guildhall will be lighting up in BLUE, in recognition and to give thanks to all of Devon’s emergency responders and the thousands of volunteers who assist these organisations, all helping to save lives and come to the aid of those in our local communities in their time of need. 

Charlotte Leventis, Head of Communications at Devon Air Ambulance told us, “We are so proud to work alongside our incredible emergency services colleaguesand it is the teamwork and collaboration between everyone involved in every mission that enables us to help the most critically ill and injured people in Devon and the Southwest. 

Every single one of them deserves the recognition that 999 Day provides and we would like to invite everyone in Devon, from businesses, organisations, significant buildings or even your own home, to show your appreciation and light up in BLUE on Thursday 9th September to say a big thank you to them all.”

If you are able to light up your premises in Blue, please do so and post on your own social media channels using the hashtag #999Day #AAW2021 and don’t forget to tag @devonairambulance. 

Devon Air Ambulance has affected the lives of thousands of people in their 29 years of service, not only the patients themselves, but also the families, friends, neighboursand colleagues of loved ones throughout our county. 

To show your appreciation and support our own local Air Ambulance charity here in Devon, please donate at daat.org and keep their crews responding.

Photo Credit: Exeter Guildhall courtesy of Exeter City Council.