AIR AMBULANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22595, 7 December 1936, Page 12

AIR AMBULANCE

THE HERALD'S APPEAL FUNDS STILL REQUIRED NEED FOR FACILITIES IMPORTANCE OF TIME FACTOR Further contributions are required to ensure the success of the Appeal launched by the New Zealand Herald for the raising of funds to enable an ambulance aeroplane to lie provided for the Auckland Province. However, the support which has already been given to the project demonstrates that there is a widespread, public recognition of the value of the proposed service. Numerous business firms and other organisations have given generous support:, but small subscriptions from private individuals will be just as welcome and wili prove just as important in bringing to fruition an appeal which has been commended on all sides. The fairly long distances which separate the various centres of population in the Auckland Province alone constitute a powerful argument for the acquisition of an aerial ambulance. Distance by road means a considerable loss of time in motor transport, in comparison with flying, and in urgent cases of illness and accident minutes can often mean the difference between life and death

Comparison of Times Comparisons of times by motor ambulance and by aeroplane from different country centres to Auckland show how the aeroplane can cut hours off a journey. For instance, Gisborno has a wellorgrnised provincial hospital, but it is not uncommon for cases to bo sent from there to Auckland. 'I lie motor ambulance run takes -0 hours, and obviously no patient in a critical condition could be expected to stand up to such a long trip. However, tho journey by aeroplane can be made in perfect. comfort in an hour and a-quarter, with no worries from road surfaces or the like. Other examples of tinio which can be saved in transport to Auckland are as follows: Motor ambulance Aeroplane Daroraville . . shrs. fL*>niln. Kaikohe .. Stirs. flomin. Kaitaia .. J'-'lirs. Ilir. Opotiki '.. Shrs. 1•» rTaumarunui .. Olirs. ftomm. Tuupo .. filirs. fiOmin. To Kiiiti .. llirs. 3."iniin. To l'akl .. Kilirs. l, 2 lirn. Importance of Time Factor A feature which cannot be overlooked is that most urgent cases requiring ambulance transport involve return trips. For example, if an urgent case of illness or accident occurred in Kaitaia, (it such a serious nature that ambulance transport was essential, it would take at least 24 hours for one of the St. John Ambulance machines to travel North and bring the patient back to Auckland. An ambulance aeroplane could travel both ways in two

hours. This time factor has weighed in a considerable number of cases. Often it lias been decided that it would be too dangerous to transport a patient by motor ambulance, chiefly owing to the fact that the journey would take too long. In other cases Auckland surgeons and specialists have bad to travel bv aeroplane to the assistance of country patients, but these same doctors agree that their task would be made far easier if the patients could be brought to them with the same degree of speed. It. has to be remembered that in a large base hospital, such as that in Auckland, there are facilities for treatment which are not available elsewhere

The need for an ambulance aeroplane for Auckland is firmly established. Subscriptions toward the. fund for the purchase of such an aeroplane will be received in the Herald office and acknowledged daily in tho Herald.