THE life-saving role of the air ambulance hit the headlines when Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond was involved in a 288mph crash.

The “Hamster” was flown to hospital by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance with serious head injuries, but miraculously went on to make a full recovery.

In Essex, we have our own life-saving helicopter.

Although it is rarely called upon fly to the aid of famous TV stars, the Essex Air Ambulance is responsible for helping to save the lives of thousands of people across the county.

First launched in 1998, in July the following year it was extended to fly seven-days-a-week during daylight hours.

It has since flown almost 10,000 missions.

The helicopter plays a vital role in helping residents and motorists and it is one of the most popular beneficiaries of fundraising events.

The helicopter can reach the farthest point in Essex in 15 minutes, and is never further than eight minutes flying time from a hospital.

This is an even greater advantage as congestion on the roads increases, making it harder for emergency vehicles to get to and from incidents in a hurry.

Cliff Gale, Air Operations Director of Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust, said: “Essex Air Ambulance is a key emergency service for the county, working in partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust who task the helicopter, mainly by receiving 999 emergency calls.

“We capitalise on our helicopter’s unique and critical advantage as a fast, access-all-areas emergency service.

“It is not affected by high tides or the ever-increasing traffic congestion on our roads, and can also reach areas inaccessible to land vehicles, including beaches and golf courses.

“We mostly deal with critical patients who need medical help urgently, as a matter of life and death, and require transport to the best place of care quickly.

“The helicopter’s most common rescue missions are road incidents.”

Over the past 12 months the air ambulance has developed to provide an even better service to its patients.

It is now part of the Essex and Hertfordshire Air Ambulance Trust, and each county has its own dedicated helicopter.

However, the partnership working means they can help each other during a major incident.

Additionally, the helicopters now come equipped with a doctor, as well as paramedics.

Mr Gale explained: “The most important development last year was the introduction of doctors on board the aircraft.

“This has allowed us to provide enhanced pre-hospital care to critical patients, enabling life-saving procedures to start at the earliest opportunity, giving them a better chance of survival and recovery.”

The air ambulance is most frequently sent to the north of the county, particularly in areas around Clacton and Saffron Walden.

It can also be used to shuttle patients who need a fast transfer between hospitals.