The Essex and Herts air ambulance
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, unlike NHS emergency services, is a charity. The free life-saving service is provided 24/7 by helicopters and by rapid response vehicles.
Each critical care team consists of a pilot and co-pilot, a pre-hospital care doctor and a critical care paramedic.
They can be rushed to the scene with life-saving support equipment to deliver advanced clinical care, usually only available in the hospital emergency department.
Once stabilised, the patient will be conveyed to the most appropriate hospital by air or land.
Defying the odds- Jack Mills
In October 2021, 14-year-old Jack was riding his scooter when he was involved in a collision with a car on Long Chaulden, Hemel Hempstead. Paramedics arrived at the scene to find him unresponsive and critically ill, with limb and extensive brain injuries. The East of England Ambulance Service immediately called in the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance helicopter crew, who arrived within minutes. EHAAT brought critical trauma expertise to the roadside, putting Jack into an induced coma before airlifting him to The Royal London Hospital’s major trauma centre. In the difficult weeks and months that followed, EHAAT’s Clinical Patient Liaison team continued to provide Jack’s family with much-needed support. After nearly a year in hospital and extensive rehabilitation, Jack returned home. Now 17, he’s thriving - studying at college, playing football for Hemel Aces, and he’s even learned to ride a bike again. While Jack lives with the long-term effects of his injuries, the swift intervention and expert care from Essex and Herts Air Ambulance undoubtedly changed the course of his recovery. Jack’s mum, Caroline, shared her gratitude: “I will be eternally grateful to Essex & Herts Air Ambulance crew. Quite simply, without their intervention that day, Jack would not be here - he was moments away from death. It was so humbling to meet Dr Seb and Paramedic Jay three years on from the accident; they couldn’t believe Jack’s progress. “What do you buy the guys who saved your son’s life? Short of winning the lottery – Heroes and Krispy Kremes! These superheroes should wear capes! I will continue to sing their praises and do anything I can to support this crucial service.” In June 2024, Jack’s incredible story was featured on Emergency Helicopter Medics. You can watch the episode below:
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Giving a second chance- sophie
Trigger warning: This story discusses mental health struggles and a suicide attempt. “In May 2022, I was struggling with my mental health and, unfortunately, attempted to take my own life by jumping from a bridge. I suffered life-changing injuries, with many broken bones and open fractures. “Thankfully, the air ambulance team managed to stabilise me after hours of work and transported me to hospital, where I had multiple operations and spent many weeks recovering. It’s taken over two years, but I can now walk short distances without crutches. “I’m so grateful to the air ambulance for being there for me that day. If it wasn’t for them, who knows what the outcome would have been? Me and my family will always be grateful for the support I received on the day of my accident. “I was 27 at the time, and now, as I approach 30, thanks to the air ambulance team I can enjoy being a crazy cat lady with my four cats, playing and chasing them around the house - something I never thought I’d be able to do. Most importantly, with determination and support, I’ve learned to walk again. “It’s been a long and hard journey, both mentally and physically, but I’ve also used my experience to help others. I’m now training to become a mental health nurse, and I hope to support people going through their own challenges.” Read Sophie’s blog on PAPYRUS to learn how she found strength after her darkest moments and is now building the future she once thought impossible.
Life-saving care for jean
On October 29th 2016, 86-year-old Jean Roberts and her husband Len were returning home to Hemel Hempstead after a day out. As Len drove along the A5183 Redbourn bypass, they were hit head-on by another vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road. The collision caused a serious multi-vehicle accident, leaving Jean with life-threatening injuries.* Len needed treatment for a damaged leg and foot, so was taken to Luton & Dunstable Hospital. However, Jean was in a critical condition. She had multiple broken ribs and was bleeding internally from liver damage. The Essex & Herts Air Ambulance helicopter was dispatched immediately, carrying Pilot David Kerr-Sheppard, Paramedic Gaynor Wareham, and Doctor Mike Christian. On scene, the situation was critical and required immediate medical intervention. However, the EHAAT team couldn’t reach Jean, so the Fire & Rescue Service had to cut the doors and roof off the vehicle to give them access. Thankfully, due to Gaynor and Mike’s swift treatment, Jean was quickly stabilised, saving her life. She was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, where she underwent emergency surgery and spent several days in intensive care before continuing her recovery on another ward. Six months after the accident, Len and Jean and other family members visited the EHAA base to meet Gaynor and Mike in person and thank them for the life-saving care they gave Jean. It was an emotional occasion for all involved. Jean’s family will forever be grateful for the actions of the air ambulance crew, who gave her five precious years of life that might have been taken away without their vital expertise. Though Jean sadly passed away in October 2021, her family cherishes the time they had with her - time that was made possible by the skill and dedication of the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance team. *The driver who caused the accident was later sent to prison and banned from driving for life.
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Ella - where boxfest began
In July 2023, Ella was playing at school when she fell from a tree, breaking her femur. Her mum Louise vividly remembers how it felt to receive the call: “Nothing can prepare you for the phone call from school telling you your child is seriously injured and an ambulance is on the way. When I arrived, she was barely conscious, and her leg was badly injured. I knew it was serious, and time was critical. When I heard the helicopter circling above, about to land, it felt surreal. Her dad arrived just as the helicopter touched down; he had no idea how seriously hurt Ella was.” The Essex & Herts Air Ambulance team were incredible, and worked seamlessly with the ambulance crew. Dr. Jess and Lou Rosson were so calm under pressure and quickly delivered trauma care that saved Ella’s leg. “The accident was only part of the story. Ella’s recovery has been long, both mentally and physically, but we’ve been so fortunate to have had the air ambulance’s Family Liaison team by our side throughout. “Without the swift intervention of the air ambulance team, we know Ella’s recovery and outcome would have been very different. We’re indebted to the EHAAT service and will forever be grateful for their support. Boxfest is our small way of saying thank you for everything they’ve done for our family and for so many others in our community. “The air ambulance is a vital part of our local community, always there when we need it most. It’s completely funded by donations, so every penny we raise will help ensure others can get the exceptional care and support we received.” Ella has gone on to support the air ambulance’s work in improving patient care and pain management. She also fronts a radio and online campaign with Heart Radio Hertfordshire to raise awareness of this incredible charity’s work.
