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Planned Air Ambulance needs peoples' support

Planned Air Ambulance needs peoples' support

A planned Helicopter Emergency Medical Service is looking for peoples' support.

The HEMS helicopter is operated by the Irish Community Rapid Response.

The additional life saving support would be a "Flying Doctor Service" for the South of Ireland.

The service is set to based at Cork airport and staffed by trauma doctors.

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John Kearney is the Chief Executive Officer - he spoke to Beat News at the launch in Dunhill, Co. Waterford,

"We're here in Dunhill to basically rally support around what we're proposing to do - bring an air ambulance to the south of Ireland - we're hoping to bring it later this year.

What I'm looking to do is tell people about our service and how we are there to support the community.

We've been up and running nine years with a volunteer Doctor lead service throughout the region.

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So what we're doing is taking that successful life saving volunteer Doctor service and make it permanent by introducing an air ambulance.

Ann Kelly is the executive officer - she told Beat News about the personal trauma that encouraged her to get invovled, "back in May in 2010 I was leaving Cork City after finishing work, heading home to West Cork.

I was involved in a car accident.

I suppose it was only what the Gardaí told me later, is that a car had come across and hit me head-on, when I was on the road.

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It took approx. an hour and a half to cut me out of the car.

I wasn't aware at the time but there was a volunteer Doctor - rapid response Doctor in West Cork by the name of Dr. Jason - who was at the scene within 10 minutes.

The hospital did tell me later that if he hadn't been there at the scene of the accident - I wouldn't be alive today."

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