Adrian McGuire from Castlederg, Co Tyrone has thanked the emergency services who came to his aid following a fall from a ladder earlier this year. On Friday 24th April, Adrian (Aidy) was in his attic at their home when Adrian fell from the ladder resulting in him sustaining a brain injury and broken shoulder.
The Castlederg Community First Responders responded to Aidy followed by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) who then requested the support of HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) via air ambulance.
Upon treatment by all personnel at the scene, Aidy was transported to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast by air ambulance. Aidy was tended to by the doctors and nurses for a week before further recovering at home.
Following Aidy’s accident, his wife Judith, family and friends raised funds for the two charity organisations who came to his aid that day – Castlederg Community First Responders and Air Ambulance NI, raising a total of £2600.
Aidy and Judith McGuire said, “We were very lucky the Air Ambulance was available to attend the day of Aidy’s accident because their expertise ensured Aidy got the best treatment in record breaking time – 20 minutes from Castlederg to Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. I am forever grateful to them and the life-saving decisions they made. It is unimaginable to think that this service relies on donations to exist but I urge everyone to donate what and when they can”.
Adrian and Judith present their donation alongside the air ambulance helicopter.
Damien McAnespie, Fundraising Manager for Air Ambulance NI, “Thank you to Aidy, Judith and to everyone in the Castlederg community who have supported Air Ambulance NI and their own local community first responders. Aidy and his family have been through a very difficult few months, but it is great to see how far he has come since his accident. At a fundraising need of £3 million per year, their donation of £2000 to our charity will help ensure the helicopter emergency medical service can continue to reach those people most in need and receive the best pre-hospital care. We wish Aidy the very best for the future in his ongoing recovery from his accident.”
Air Ambulance NI, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service for Northern Ireland. Operating seven days a week for 12 hours each day, the service brings urgent medical care to people who are seriously ill or injured across the province. The HEMS team delivers emergency pre-hospital care directly to the scene, with the aim of saving lives, brains and limbs. The aircraft can reach anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately twenty-five minutes.
On average, the medical team is called out twice every day to incidents including serious road traffic collisions, farm or workplace accidents, sport and leisure incidents, and serious medical emergencies. Since its inception in July 2017, the medical team has been tasked 5,731 times.
As a local charity, Air Ambulance NI must raise £3 million each year to maintain and sustain the service, making public donations vital. Members of the public can also have their name displayed on the charity’s new helicopter later this year for a donation of £200. Find out more at www.airambulanceni.org , email info@airambulanceni.org , or call 028 9262 2677.
