A6 & M6 Sidelines Air Ambulance

This is the first in a new section of sidelines of things you may see on the A6 & M6, starting with the Lancashire Air Ambulance.

If you come across an accident anywhere on the A6 between about Chorley in the South and Shap in the north or on the M6 between Wigan and Shap that is attended by an air ambulance it will be this one pictured left. The helicopter based at Blackpool Airport seen here at Carnforth covers all Lancashire and South Cumbria. Flying at 180mph its longest journey will take less than half an hour and in most instances once airborne will have a patient into a suitable nearby hospital in under 15 minutes.

The ambulance has a crew of 3 2 paramedics and a pilot, the service is not NHS funded but is run by a charity who lease the helicopter, then current machine being new in 2006. Although cramped its main function is to get a patient to hospital in the shortest possible time. For example it takes only 3 minutes to fly from Carnforth to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary Helipad a journey which would take at least 10 minutes in a Emergeny Ambulance and may take over half an hour by car depending on traffic.

For more photos please see our photo gallery

Videos of the Air Ambulance

We have 3 videos of the air ambulance

1. Taking off in February 2006

2. On the ground February 2007

3. Taking Off February 2007