WILTSHIRE Air Ambulance’s chief unit pilot George Lawrence says providing a helicopter emergency medical service is a team effort.

The success of Wiltshire Air Ambulance is, he says, due to the aircrew, charity staff, volunteers and the public all working together; the funds raised enabling the service to provide gold standard medical care to seriously ill or injured people.

George, 59, has worked on the air ambulance since 2001, firstly when it operated as a joint helicopter service with Wiltshire Police and since January 2015 as a standalone air ambulance. He joined after a 17-year military career in the Army Air Corps.

George, who lives with his wife, June, in the Devizes area, said: “Being part of a team that can make a difference to someone’s life is what I enjoy about my job. I like meeting patients who we have helped, it’s very humbling.”

George says the charity team has worked hard to increase the income almost four-fold since it became a standalone air ambulance. He says the new airbase at Semington will bring the aircrew and charity team closer as they will be together on one site rather than over two sites, as they currently are.

George, who has two grown-up children, said: “The generosity of people in Wiltshire raising funds for us is incredible. What touches me the most is when children donate their pocket money or birthday money to us.”

George likes the unpredictability of his job – “I don’t know what the taskings will be from one to another” – and particularly enjoys the challenges of flying at night. Wiltshire Air Ambulance was the first air ambulance in the country to fly at night. It flies up to 19 hours a day, until 3am.

The aircrew are a closely knit team and George has great admiration for the paramedics he works alongside.

“People often think the pilots have the more ‘glamorous’ job but I think the paramedics should take all the credit. As pilots we just fly them to the scene and then on to hospital – the hard work is done by the paramedics,” he says.

“Medical care has advanced so much since I joined that now we almost bring the hospital to the roadside. Our paramedics can give critical care to seriously injured or ill patients by giving them advanced drugs for pain relief or sedation and can carry out surgical techniques.

“It’s inspiring to be part of that and watch them work in all conditions, some of which are quite challenging. I’m only a small cog in the machine."