Peter Quinn, a young bricklayer from Ardboe, Co Tyrone has thanked Air Ambulance NI after the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) was tasked to his workplace following a serious fall.
On the 22nd July 2024, Peter was working on the second storey of a building in nearby Moortown when he fell, plummeting 20 feet to the ground below. His work colleagues at the building site phoned emergency services and HEMS were dispatched by air ambulance alongside their colleagues from Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS).
The air ambulance helicopter touched down in a field across from the building site, its presence a beacon of hope for Peter and his panicked workmates. Fearing Peter had sustained a serious spinal injury, the medical team of HEMS assessed and treated Peter at the scene before carefully stabilising him and loading him onto the helicopter.
The flight from Moortown, on the western shores of Lough Neagh, to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast took just nine minutes, a fraction of the time it would have taken by road. But for Peter, the journey is a complete blank. “I don’t remember the fall, the helicopter, or anything at all,” he later admitted. “The only thing I briefly recall is being lifted from one stretcher to another on the Royal Victoria Hospital helipad.”
The trauma team at the Royal Victoria Hospital confirmed that Peter had sustained a fracture to his L1 vertebra in his lower back. Peter spent a week in hospital under the watchful eyes of the medical team before being discharged with a body cast, which he wore for the next three months. Thankfully, Peter did not sustain any permanent damage to his spinal cord. With the support of his family, friends, and the community, he made steady progress and Peter is now back on his feet and has returned to work.
Grateful for the life-saving intervention of the air ambulance, Peter, his family, and friends wanted to show their thanks and support Air Ambulance NI Charity. A Christmas quiz was planned in Ardboe Community Centre on 28th December, alongside a raffle of prizes kindly donated by local businesses and individuals. The event was a resounding success, raising an incredible £10,545 for the charity.
Peter said, “I would like to thank everyone who helped me on the day I fell. I would also like to thank my family and friends that helped me organise the fundraiser especially Madoch, Ciaran, Donal, Connor, Charlie and Jude. I am also grateful to the business sponsors and to everyone who gave so generously.”
Damien McAnespie, Fundraising Manager for Air Ambulance NI, said, “The day of Peter’s accident (22nd July 2024) was the seventh anniversary of the service and it is a reminder how vital the air ambulance is to everyone and how a quick response, matched with clinical care interventions carried out on the scene, can make a real difference.”
Peter’s family, friends and the entire community of Ardboe and Moortown then raised a huge amount of money as a sign of their appreciation and we are very indebted to them for their support. Their donation of £10,545 will fund the service for over one day, potentially helping to save the life, brain or limb of another two individuals in the region – individuals like Peter who was out doing his day’s work and who never expected he would need the service. Thank you to everyone who donated in support of Peter and Air Ambulance NI.”
The charity Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service for Northern Ireland. The service brings urgent medical assistance to anywhere in the province, operating seven days a week for 12 hours per day. The HEMS team attend patients who are seriously ill or injured, bringing emergency pre-hospital care direct to the casualty with the aim of saving lives, brains and limbs. The aircraft can reach anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately twenty-five minutes.
Patients or families of those served by the HEMS are encouraged to visit the airbase and gain insight into the vital work being done. To arrange a visit, individuals can contact Air Ambulance NI at 028 9262 2677.
As a local charity, Air Ambulance NI relies on the generosity of the public to maintain and sustain its essential services, aiming to raise £2.5 million annually. Public donations are crucial to supporting this lifesaving mission. One of the simplest ways to contribute is by becoming a member of Club AANI and donating via a monthly or annual subscription.
For more information on how to support Air Ambulance NI or to become a member of Club AANI, please visit www.airambulanceni.org. Direct inquiries can also be made by emailing info@airambulanceni.org or calling 028 9262 2677.