The fastest civilian helicopter in the world will go into service at the Irish Community Air Ambulance (ICCA) tomorrow (Thursday, June 24).

The Leonardo 109S helicopter is ideally suited to the provision of a rural helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS), offering more speed, greater patient comfort, and it has the capacity to take on more fuel, which increases endurance and range.

The helicopter can travel up to 300km/hour and can fly the length of the country from Mizen Head to Malin Head in a little over 90 minutes.

The same journey would take 8 hours by road.

ICCA chief executive, Mícheál Sheridan said:

“We are often called to the most serious of incidents, in these situations where you’re dealing with a critical patient, the small gains can have the greatest benefit to the patient’s comfort and outcomes.

“This new helicopter offers more speed but it also has additional room at the rear. That means that we can transport adult patients more comfortably and we also have space for an additional medic on board, if necessary.”

The ICAA works in tandem with the National Ambulance Service and brings patients to the hospital that best suits their life-saving needs.

The Mater Hospital in Dublin and Cork University Hospital (CUH) are the two major centres for the provision of trauma care in Ireland.

Mícheál Sheridan added:

“In recent weeks, we’ve airlifted seriously ill patients to both CUH and the Mater during one shift. That highlights the speed and versatility of our service.

“We’re also called upon to transport paediatric emergency cases to Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

“Our new helicopter has more space for the parents of children who may need to be transferred over long distances to Dublin and will be able to get them there that bit faster.

“However, the new aircraft also means additional costs. The air ambulance is expected to cost €1.55m to run this year and relies entirely on fundraising. Each mission costs an average of €3,500, we need donations and support to help us go further faster.”

Twenty-year-old Clodagh Lynch from Bantry in Co. Cork travelled in the previous helicopter and was among the first people to see the new arrival.

The University College Cork student was enjoying the sun outside her home in May 2020 when she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

Clodagh’s mother is a nurse and immediately began CPR. Her brother alerted the emergency services and the ICAA arrived in 13 minutes.

Clodagh said of her expeience:

“Once I was stabilised, I was airlifted to CUH. I spent six weeks recovering before I was allowed home. I believe that only for the quick actions of the air-ambulance crew supported by other emergency responders I wouldn’t be here today.

“The ICAA is an invaluable service. It really is wonderful to be here today to finally meet the crew who treated me that day and to see the new helicopter which I know will continue to make a difference to the lives of people who find themselves in an emergency situation like I did.”