Air ambulance charity boosts rapid response action in Luton

An air ambulance charity is increasing its rapid response for incidents in Luton.

Magpas Air Ambulance, which provides patients across the East of England with lifesaving emergency medical care around the clock, has added two new rapid response vehicles to its fleet after the success of its first vehicle.

In September last year, the charity launched a specialised road-based service in Luton, bringing an advanced level of emergency medical care to the town and surrounding areas, and improving response times to the area by up to 40 minutes on average.

To date, the cars have been used to respond to 428 missions and combined have already travelled over 20,000 miles. This includes patients in Bedfordshire, where they have responded to 13 patients in life-threatening emergencies this November so far.

Incidents the Magpas Air Ambulance team commonly attend include cardiac arrests, road traffic collisions and assaults, as well as accidental injuries, falls from height, incidents of self-harm and other emergencies.

The charity's advanced medical team responds via both helicopter and rapid response vehicle from it's airbase at RAF Wyton, and deciding which form of transport to use depends on the proximity of the incident to the base and time of day.