Gang Halts Air Ambulance Take-off

[justfly]

Gang halts air ambulance take-off

 

A helicopter ambulance may be forced to demand a police guard when it lands - to stop youths clambering on board.

 

The move was prompted after teenagers tried to scramble over the aircraft and refused to move after it landed in Bilton, near Rugby.

 

Paramedics were inside the helicopter treating a woman with serious injuries.

 

Operations manager Danny Hopkins, of Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance service, said the youths' antics were extremely dangerous.

 

'Poorly patients'

 

He told BBC WM in Coventry & Warwickshire: "The issues are quite serious.

 

"At the moment we are having a spate of incidents where people are refusing to move. Not only are they risking the lives of the patients, who are already extremely poorly, they are also putting their own lives at risk as well."

 

He added: "If you get hit by the aircraft's rotor, it will kill you - there is no second chance. It will also render the aircraft non-operational and it will have to be kept where it is and checked by maintenance staff before we can move it."

 

Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance is a registered charity based at Coventry Airport and provides emergency air cover for more than a million people Coventry, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.

 

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/engl...ire/4130888.stm

 

Published: 2005/08/08 09:11:53 GMT

 

© BBC MMV

 

WOW! :shock: I can think of a solution

 

[transquebecniece]

That story reminds me of another one I saw just this morning about a New Mexico Sheriff's Dept. heli that was brought down by gunfire!

 

Pretty pathetic that drivers and crews working in med-evac and law enforcement from the air can occasionally have such bizarre "things" to contend with. Strange world.

 

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/story....001.htm&sc=1110

[justfly]

Yeah, probably good thing I'm not in charge. Use of deadly force with extreme prejudice would be immediately authorized! :shock: :cop:

[transquebecniece]

Very good thing you're not in charge! Also a good thing these are isolated vs. widespread incidents. Would hate to see Flight for Life helis and Sheriff Dept. helis have to be militarized—complete with Gatling guns for self-defense. Yikes!

[Kryptonife]

Yeah, probably good thing I'm not in charge.  Use of deadly force with extreme prejudice would be immediately authorized!  :shock:  :cop:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

It's a good thing I'm not in charge either then.

Anyone ever see that police helicopter video where an MD 500 nailed a guy trying to run with his skids?

[tDawe]

The Stingray would be an attractive solution, but if you had the ponys for it I would say just take off anyway. If the kids REALLY need a ride that badly they will hold on, and if they fell off they obviously didnt want to ride bad enough.