insideKENT Magazine Issue 78 - September 2018 | Page 49

Air Ambulance
Kent Surrey Sussex relocates
to Rochester Airport
Having recently moved back to Rochester
Airport after 18 years in Marden, we are looking
forward to being part of the community. Our
HQ move will give us the opportunity to meet
new business partners, forge new relationships
and raise awareness of our charity.
Here at Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex,
we strive to save lives by providing the best
possible care every minute of the day, every
day of the year. We are an independent charity,
so every penny we receive is truly valued.
Last year alone, we were called out to
help over 2,000 people in life-threatening
conditions. We never stop innovating and
improving the care we can give, which
means every donation we receive is vital.
We want to make sure we are available
each and every time someone needs us.
For 18 hours of the day, we operate with
two crews. For the remaining six, when it is
quieter but there are still people out there
who need us, we operate with one crew.
We have two bases at Rochester Airport
and Redhill Aerodrome, meaning our two
helicopters can reach any part of our region
within 20 minutes.
We put the people who need us at the heart
of everything we do. None of us ever know
when we, our family, our friends or our
community may need this vital service.
Every bit of support is truly valued and
helps us to be there for each person who
needs us.
As you can imagine, keeping a charity like
ours running is a costly and complicated
business. Flying and maintaining the latest
helicopters 24 hours a day, buying vital
supplies and equipment, training the very
best teams in the air and on the ground (and
so much more), adds up to a lot of money.
But we keep flyi