A life-saving charity has upgraded its fleet of emergency vehicles to support faster, more reliable critical care.
Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) has introduced three new hybrid Volvo XC90 critical care cars, replacing its ageing Skoda Kodiaqs across its service area, which includes Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, and parts of Wiltshire.
The vehicles will be used to deliver advanced medical care directly to patients in emergencies when helicopter transport is not possible or practical.
Tim Ross Smith, operations officer for GWAAC, said: "Our previous vehicles served us well but were becoming increasingly costly to maintain and more prone to issues as they reached the end of their operational life.
"We’re very grateful for the support of the HELP Appeal which has helped ensure our crew can continue reaching patients quickly to provide their exceptional level of care to people with life-threatening injuries and medical emergencies every single day."
The new fleet has been fully funded by the HELP Appeal.
Robert Bertram, chief executive for the HELP Appeal, said: "While the HELP Appeal is best known for funding lifesaving NHS hospital and air ambulance base helipads which are essential in emergency care, critical care cars are vital too.
"They enable specialist teams to reach patients quickly when helicopters cannot fly or when travelling by road is the fastest option.
"We are proud to fund these three state-of-the-art vehicles and sincerely thank our supporters, whose generosity is helping us to deliver lifesaving care in the region and beyond."
Each car is fitted to emergency response standards and carries the same equipment as the charity’s helicopter, including a portable ventilator, an ultrasound device, blood products, and specialist kit for children and babies.
The vehicles feature a slide-out tray in the boot for easier access to heavy equipment, a bigger boot space, and a more spacious interior for crew, medical equipment, bags, and PPE.
As hybrid vehicles, they also support GWAAC’s move towards a more sustainable fleet.
The cars operate from 7am to 1am every day and are used when road travel is faster or when helicopters are grounded.
They can be seen across the region and are easy to identify by the GWAAC logo and electric blue trace line.
The public may also spot them at events — take the opportunity to have a look inside and chat to the crew.
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