A blog for kids: Learn how Devon Air Ambulance pilots, doctors and paramedics work together to help people.
A kid-friendly intro to our crew
Have you ever looked up and seen a red helicopter racing across Devon skies? If you have, then you probably saw one of our two aircraft on a mission!
On that aircraft is a team of skilled helpers who are there for people who have quickly become very ill or badly hurt.
Every day across Devon, the Devon Air Ambulance team is ready to help. When the emergency call comes in, they don’t waste a second. Here’s a little bit about our crew.
Our pilots fly safely and quickly to someone who is poorly
The pilot’s job is very important. They must fly the helicopter safely, even when the weather is bad or the landing place is small.
Pilots train for many years so they can land in tricky places like narrow roads, fields or even on clifftops. Their goal is to get the medical team to the patient as quickly as possible.
Our paramedics are here to help
On board the aircraft is one or two paramedics, or a paramedic and a doctor. They are experts at helping people who are hurt or very sick.
They bring with them lots of special equipment, you could say the helicopter is like a mini hospital as it carries everything they need. Paramedics can stop bleeding and they can help people to breathe better, and they can give strong pain relief. They begin treatment at the scene, even before the patient reaches hospital.
Our doctors bring hospital care anywhere
Sometimes the team is made up a paramedic and a doctor. Our doctors usually work in hospitals, but with the air ambulance they can bring hospital‑level care directly to the patient. Hospital-level care might be very powerful medicines, or even surgery!
This means people can get the help they need much sooner – whether they are on Dartmoor, at the seaside, or in the middle of the countryside.
Our crew sometimes travels by car too!
Even though helicopters are fast and amazing, they can’t always be used. Sometimes the weather is too dangerous, or there isn’t a safe place to land. Other times, the crew might already be close to the patient. That’s when the team travels by critical care car instead. The car carries lots of the same special equipment as the helicopter, and the doctors and paramedics can still give life‑saving care wherever they are needed.
The pilots, doctors and paramedics all work together. They talk to each other, make plans quickly and help in calm and careful ways – even when things might feel scary for the patient and those nearby.
Once the patient is safe, the team will either fly them to hospital or help them get there by land ambulance. Then they clean the helicopter, restock their equipment and wait for the next call.
Devon Air Ambulance is a charity. That means it is only able to fly because kind people choose to donate, fundraise and support the service.
Every coin, every cake sale and every fun run helps keep our crew ready to be there when someone needs them.
So next time you hear the sound of rotors overhead, remember: inside that helicopter is a team of skilled, caring people, working together to save lives – and thanks to support from people like you and your friends, they can be there when it matters most.
Ask your teacher how your school can help our crew!
