Children ‘risk lives’ by halting air ambulance (From Daily Echo)

Children ‘risk lives’ by halting air ambulance

2:11pm Thursday 7th August 2008

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CHILDREN are putting lives at risk by refusing to get out of the way as Hampshire's air ambulance tries to land at Southampton with critically ill patients on board.

Pilots and paramedics have been sworn at by youngsters when they have been asked to move and have been met with cocky responses like: "Are you going to make us?"

Some landings have been delayed by up to half an hour while people on the ground, including paramedics in waiting ambulances, battle to clear the area andmake it safe.

Take-off is also being hindered by youngsters refusing to move a safe distance from the spinning rotors.

Air ambulance bosses have warned lives could be lost - and urged youngsters to think about the critically ill people on board first.

If the problem continues helicopter chiefs say they could be forced to pull out of the site altogether and find somewhere else.

But doing so would create a logistical nightmare for paramedics who need to have a helipad as close to the hospital as possible to get patients critical care quickly.

The dangerous situation has occurred numerous times at the Lordshill Recreation Ground in Southampton, known locally as Five Acres.

Pilots have reported the problems at weekends, during school holidays and since the start of the summer break.

Merrick Forsyth, director of flight operations for Bond Air Services, which supplies pilots to fly the aircraft, said: "It's happened several times recently and it is a small minority of kids who clearly think it's hilariously funny. There have been a number of occasions on weekends and in the holidays mainly and it tends to start with one kid and the others latch on. It presents us with real problems.

We use Lordshill when we have a critically ill patient who needs to get to hospital quickly as this is the nearest landing area.

"However, if it is not safe to land we won't - but that might well compromise the patient.

"Spending half an hour getting kids out of the way delays the response to the person most in need."

South Central Ambulance Service medical director Charles Deakin, who fought for six years to get an air ambulance for Hampshire, added: "When the helicopter lands, every second counts for the ill person on board."

Hampshire police said they had received no reports of problems but would try to help.

• See today's Daily Echo for the full story

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