When we receive a call from the HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) desk we know that every second counts and we must be ready to respond to a patient who desperately needs our help. Having the necessary equipment on board is vital in making sure we bring everything we need to the incident.  Thanks to The Yorkshire Bank Charitable Trust we have been able to purchase two PAX Medical Emergency Response bags. 

We’ve all seen the real-life paramedics on Helicopter TV shows carrying huge Medical Response bags on their shoulders. One blue and one red, both are equally important and accompany our Critical Care Paramedics on every single mission, but what’s actually inside? 

Blue PAX Response Bag – contains all things airway including oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways (OP and NP airways), igels, endotracheal tubes, laryngoscopy MAC/miller/McCoy blades and video laryngoscopy, bougies, Mapleson C circuit, epistats and bite blocks.  Our specialist team can manage patients from tiny babies to adults of virtually all weights - the blue bag also includes the Tempus monitoring kit which measures blood pressures, heart rate, breathing rate, heart rhythm and blood oxygen levels. 

Red PAX Response Bag – contains the hemorrhage kit (tourniquets, special military style bandages), surgical kit (for lots of different surgical procedures that can now be performed in the pre-hospital environment), a defibrillator for cardiac arrests, a bone drill to administer medication if we can’t get intravenous access, pelvic binder for if we suspect someone has broken their pelvis in a certain way, blanket and heated blanket to prevent patients getting cold among other things. 

No wonder they are heavy - and the list of contents highlights that the incredible range of knowledge and expertise of those that use this on a daily basis must be immense! 

It is thanks to organisations like the Yorkshire Bank’s Charitable Grant scheme that we have been able to add these new bags to our kit.

It means that precious funds that hundreds of people across Devon and beyond help to raise for us can be used to support the service in other ways, enabling our Critical Care Paramedics to continue to save lives. 

If your business would like to support us please visit our businesses on board page to find out more.