Helicopters Devon Air Ambulance Community Landing Sites WORKING - PDF document

11/04/18 Helicopters Devon Air Ambulance Community Landing Sites WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO A surveyed floodlit landing site which is A Community Landing Site ESTABLISH A NETWORK OF developed, part-funded and managed by a is a surveyed floodlit NIGHT LANDING SITES community… landing site which is developed, part-funded and managed by a community… … with the help and support of DAAT Toby Russell, Community Landing Site Development Officer Developing lighting solutions Community Landing Sites needs to be a flat open area of 50m x 50m v All solutions incorporate remote switching – a ‘GSM’ switch located within power supply a green, playing field, farmer’s field, park v Small electronic box located at dist. board located in the community (near people) v Uses mobile phone SIM card, any network needs pedestrian and vehicle access close by v Incorporates small aerial, a booster can be a nearby power source for lighting is useful installed in areas of poor signal v Operates by call in/out, sends texts on no tall trees or power lines within the site (on activation & for monitoring boundary may be ok) Helicopters Community Landing Site Developing lighting solutions ü We can utilise existing lighting e.g. sports fields ü Adapt infrastructure to house new lights ü Where none of those exist, a single 10m column with 2 LED lights needs to be installed ü This requires power (mains or solar), concrete base, wiring (through building / underground) ü Column will need Planning Permission 1

11/04/18 Helicopters Progress so far… Developing a night landing site The process… Site selection & Email / phone calls / Site surveyed feedback Fundraising drive to word of mouth, Quote produced for reach project target networks Info produced for DAA landing site lighting Site works carried out, surveyors Meetings with DAA offers grant stakeholders, lighting commissioned landowners, Councils Collect info for lighting Community exploring Landing site goes LIVE quote funding routes Site visits & screening Developing a site in Harberton Developing a site in Harberton Harberton playing field: ü we can reach local residents until 12pm (soon till 2am) Ø Meets DAA night ops criteria etc. but needs to be formally ü potential benefits to people living nearby / involved in RTCs surveyed Ø Would require a new 10m high ü likely to be infrequent events (daytime data from ‘16 & ‘17 lighting column & two 150-watt indicates we went to 2 HEMS incidents in vicinity) LEDs Ø The column could potentially ü we can convey patients to the most appropriate hospital be located along the edge of the parking, or opposite side, not necessarily the nearest (33% of those airlifted in 2017) with the power supply from the village hall ü our highly skilled paramedics and doctors can deliver Good access to community – Ø enhanced pre-hospital clinical care paramedics can get to people in their homes and receive patients by land ambulance Developing a site in Harberton Managing a site in Harberton Access / site management / future use Next steps: • Any site can be closed (ad-hoc events / period • Community to decide if it wants a night landing site of time) – system to notify DAA in place • A quote for the lighting works would be obtained • Any future infrastructure needs to be installed • DAA will then offer the community a grant to cover maintaining an open landing area (work with the installation costs (i.e. contractor costs) of the DAA to review any plans) lighting equipment (monies from Bank Libor Fines) • Once operational there is an ongoing • The community would need to fund the lighting equipment cost of c£2,800 relationship with landowner/tenant/user groups • Fundraising, planning application & project delivery… 2

11/04/18 Do you have any questions? www.daat.org 01392 466666 @devonairamb Devon Air Ambulance Trust 3

Devon Air Ambulance Trust A Community Landing Site for Harberton? Public Meeting convened by Harberton Parish Council Wednesday 11 th April 2018 7pm Councillors present: Cllrs Broom, Davidson, J.Hockings, S.Hockings, Williams Devon Air Ambulance Trust (DAAT): Toby Russell, Public: 35 Notes: Cat Radford, Parish Clerk A presentation was given by Toby Russell of Devon Air Ambulance Trust. These notes below are a record of the questions asked by members of the public during and after the presentation, with the responses given. Question Response Who is in control of the lights? The desk-based HEMS staff (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) and the helicopter pilots themselves. Lights are controlled by mobile phone: each light has its own operational telephone number. Where is the (switching) device kept? It can be near the lights, but normally it would be in the building connected to the distribution board. If the area is in poor signal area, you can connect a boosting aerial. Good question, I’m not a pilot! There is no need for a How does the helicopter know its drift into the wind? windsock at the sites. Are we able to use the lights as well? Yes. They are a community asset. They come with a switch, so yes, you can turn them on. Is there any maintenance? Very low maintenance. The Parish Clerk advised the public that the Parish Council has a maintenance contract with the organisation that installed the column in Harbertonford. The cost to the 2018/19 budget will be £89.95 plus VAT. Can residents use the site in If you needed onward transfer, you might get taken there. You’d probably be taken to the site in Borough park, Totnes. Harbertonford? There is a benefit to having a site near to you; e.g. if we land in Harbertonford at midnight and have to get those pilots to you. There is an ambulance station in You have one ambulance a night in Totnes. If they are Totnes. sending an air ambulance, they are sending another service as well, not just us. Comment made about weighing up a You would not be changing the use of the field. The site can change of use of the playing field with be taken out of operation at any time by getting in touch with DAAT – e.g. should children be camping on the field for the provision of a community landing site. example. The Chair of the Parish Council commented that the Harbertonford Playing Field Association is obliged to let the Parish Council know in advance if any events are likely to take place anyway, and DAAT could be informed at the same time. What does the helicopter need to land The land is flat enough. Even if the land has been disturbed by on? cars. This land is perfectly adequate. Is it likely to become a whole night Our vision is to provide a 24-hour service. We are going to operate until 2am in the next 6 months. Once we’ve got to service at any point? 2am, there would be some analysis about whether this would be affordable or cost effective. Do you have doctors on helicopters? Yes. We predominantly carry 2 paramedics, often have trauma doctors on board as well through MA course at Plymouth University. We have 6 doctors on rotation both day and night. Can the air ambulance land anywhere Yes within the day time? (i.e. not on this site)