My name is Pip, and I serve as the Base Manager at Coventry, where the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire team operates under the call sign Helimed 53. This is a little bit about something that is special to me, and caused me to reflect on what the job of a HEMS Paramedic can mean.

I joined Helimed 53 in 2006, I remember vividly my training and the support I got from the team at that time in helping me reach the standard to become fully signed off as a HEMS Paramedic. It was tough, there were a few moments where I wondered if I would be able to get there. There is so much to learn and do for every mission, and at times it must be done at pace and under pressure, often while being watched by clinical colleagues, the public or family members.

Thanks to lots of help from others, perseverance and determination – I did achieve the ultimate goal and was signed off to work solo. I have learnt so much since, you never stop learning in the role due to the many clinical and equipment changes and additions that continue to evolve. In 2011 I was seconded from West Midlands Ambulance Service to be the Base Manager for Helimed 53. In 2012 the charity started employing the paramedic staff instead of being seconded from the ambulance services. I took up charity employment and continued as the Base Manager whilst still being a HEMS Paramedic. At that time the service only covered day shifts, but by 2016 further paramedics were recruited to be able to cover 24hrs a day. I remember the support and encouragement I had to achieve sign off and saw some of the new paramedics doubting themselves just as I did. I spent time talking and rationalising with them in person; developing techniques to look at the root cause of the challenges. Sign off was achieved and these paramedics have gone on to thrive, taking lead roles in their field.

The part that was so special and made me reflect was the thanks I received. I was told I made a difference and was a great support whilst working at Helimed 53. This is the part that feels really valuable; to pass on that experience, the different ways of coping and thinking, and watching those people go on to thrive.

There is so much more to the role than the clinical knowledge and skill; it’s about resilience, collaboration and continuous learning, and above all, being empathetic and supporting one another.

The impact left him unable to feel his legs. Bystanders rushed to help, urging him to stay still and calling emergency services. Within minutes, the sound of rotor blades signalled the arrival of Your Local Air Ambulance (YLAA). The call came in at 14:09, and the critical care crew were airborne within two minutes, arriving first on scene just ten minutes later. Paul was still on the ground when they reached him, helmet on, breathing shallow, pale and clammy from dangerously low blood pressure. The crew provided advanced pain relief, corrected the deformity in his leg, applied a pelvic binder, and splinted both legs. With help from bystanders, they carefully loaded him into the AgustaWestland 109 helicopter and administered a blood transfusion en route to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire.

Paul’s injuries were extensive: broken ribs, legs, ankles, toes, a punctured lung, shattered bones, nerve damage, and ruptured ligaments. He underwent surgery the next day, but complications delayed further procedures. His oxygen levels dropped, and he was sedated for three weeks, spending four weeks in intensive care.

“The ITU team struggled to get me to respond, but my wife played the Friends theme tune in my ear and I woke up!” he laughs.

Determined to recover, Paul made rapid progress. Within a week of being helped to stand, he was walking with crutches and climbing stairs. He returned home and, by November, was back in the gym three to four days a week. He hoped to return to his job as a lorry driver by March 2025.

“Recovery has been slow and hard, but things are healing. My biggest issue is my left ankle, I lost bone, and the doctors aren’t sure how much movement I’ll get back. But I’m getting there” says Paul.

On 4th November 2024, Paul visited YLAA airbase at Coventry Airport with his wife and daughter to meet the crew who saved his life.

“I was so grateful to meet them properly. They were relaxed, professional, you can see why people feel at ease with them” he says.

Paul knew YLAA was a charity, but not everyone does.

“If the air ambulance hadn’t been there, I would have been dead. They have the right people on board. The very best.”

Thanks to your donations, YLAA continues to save lives like Paul’s every day.