Air ambulance closer to a new home

Aug 28 2007 By Gurdip Thandi, Birmingham Mail

AMBULANCE chiefs have been inundated with responses to their plea to find a new helicopter base for their flying paramedics.

An appeal was made earlier this month to find a suitable site in Staffordshire to house the vital County Air Ambulance service.

It is anticipated that the Staffordshire operation will start by the end of the year and air ambulance managers were originally looking at potential sites in Stoke, Cheadle or Uttoxeter.

But Steve Parry, Head of Press and Communications for County Air Ambulance said they had received a huge number of calls from people suggesting various sites all over the county.

He said: "Since we made our plea for a new home in Staffordshire, the phone lines have not stopped ringing.

"The people of Staffordshire have been absolutely wonderful in letting us know about suitable sites for our aircraft."

Ian Clayton, Air Operations manager, has been tasked with finding a new home for the Staffordshire aircraft and he is already in the process of carefully identifying potential sites.

Any individuals with available land or local businesses with suitable premises can still get in touch with Ian Clayton at ian.clayton@countyairambulance.org or telephone 01902 373434.