Life-saving crew on board the Ambucopter this Christmas

Will you enjoy breakfast with your excited children before opening presents around the tree; maybe you are planning an early morning walk with your dog; or perhaps you are traveling to visit family in another part of the country?

For the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance crew, pilot Tim Taylor and paramedics Rich Irwin and Roger Linnell, Christmas Day will be spent at operation headquarters at RAF Waddington, manning the Ambucopter and being on call in case a life-threatening emergency call comes in.

The Ambucopter is operational 365 days of the year, responding to an average of three life-saving calls every day – and Christmas Day is no different!

Paramedic Roger Linnell said: “Our pilots and paramedics are used to working during the Christmas and New Year period, alongside other members of the emergency services. It will be business as usual for us and we will be ready for any emergency situation that comes in. Our crew takes it in turns to work the Christmas rota - we hope that no one will need our care but if we are called upon, we’ll be there.”

Emergency call outs permitting, the crew will hopefully get the chance to tuck into a Christmas dinner, mince pies and other goodies, thanks to the Bentley’s Fish and Chip Shop, Nettleham Fields, which has kindly donated some Marks & Spencer vouchers for the crew to have some extra tasty Christmas treats.

Last year, between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day the crew were called out to four life-threatening missions. They were called out six times during this period in 2014, seven times in 2013 and 10 times in 2012.

For more information on the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance or to make a donation, visit www.ambucopter.org.uk