Every December, Pittman Seafoods chooses a new charity to support. End of 2018 we have chosen the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services, who save the lives of around 40 people every year. Read on to find out more about this amazing charity.
The HEMS is a member of the IDMH (Center for Urgent Medical Assistance).
For places that are difficult to reach.
In case of an emergency, you call 112. Depending on the location, the kind and severity of the emergency, an ambulance or other medical emergency vehicle will be sent to the place of the accident.
The HEMS Helicopter is mainly used in locations that are difficult to reach. The doctors on board provide first aid and then the helicopter transports the patient to the most appropriate hospital.
The HEMS helicopter of West-Flanders costs approximately 600,000 Euros per year, a large sum for a charity. Contrary to normal medical emergency services by road, the Center for Urgent Medical Assistance does not receive any federal subsidies. And the extra costs for deploying the helicopter are not passed on to the patient.
Keeping the emergency helicopter flying
Fortunately there are some municipal and provincial subsidies but they are not sufficient. To keep the HEMS Helicopter operational, the IDMH is therefore relying on donations both big and small so that the helicopter can keep flying to save people’s lives.
Interesting facts about the HEMS Helicopter
- From its base in Bruges, the helicopter can be anywhere in West-Flanders within 15 minutes and even to East-Flanders and Zeeland.
- A distance of 10 kilometers can be covered quickly.
- The take-off time is five minutes.
- Its speed is three kilometers per minute (180 kilometers per hour).
- It takes one minute to land.
- A HEMS Helicopter has the same medical equipment as a medical emergency vehicle.
- The Bruges HEMS Helicopter is called out about 700 times a year. 85% of the flights concern primary interventions. The rest are transportations between hospitals.
- The HEMS Helicopter saves on average 40 lives a year!
Pittman Seafoods supports this cause
Pittman Seafoods is glad to support this cause. We have decided to donate 5,000 Euros to the HEMS Helicopter of Bruges. That is why we have chosen to send our New Years Greetings by email instead of post this year!
If you also want to support this organisation, please send your gift to bank account number BE04 0689 0672 7331. You will receive a tax receipt for donations over 40 Euros. Look here for more information.
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