DSAA Beeline, Issue 1 2017

why we do it
which they arrived and by their calm and professional
approach. It made me feel very proud to be a volunteer
for such a wonderful organisation.”
Peter’s wife Anne had just arrived in Germany
visiting a friend. The police officer at the scene
discovered (from items that he was carrying)
where Peter lived and then neighbours helped
to contact his eldest daughter Rachel in
Bracknell. Rachel and her sister Catherine
arranged for Anne to fly back from Germany
the following day to meet Peter’s brother at the
hospital. She was still unaware of the severity of
Peter’s condition.
“I was unconscious in intensive care at Southmead
Hospital for five days. My injuries included five broken
ribs, several ‘Le Fort Stage 3’ fractures to my face, two
brain bleeds and the odd bruise or 10! In total, I spent
four weeks in hospital (Southmead and then Yeovil
District Hospital). I am now largely recovered except for
the occasional memory lapses (at least, that’s my excuse
Peter and his wife
Anne met some
of the crew
who attended
his incident
326
of our missions last year
took place in the county
of Somerset
now!) and a problem with my right shoulder, which is
improving with physiotherapy.
“My daughter Rachel is a Teaching Assistant and now
uses my bloodstained and battered cycle helmet as a
teaching aid to encourage her school pupils to ride
bikes safely.
“This is actually the second time Dorset and Somerset
Air Ambulance has come to my aid (you’ll begin to
think I’m accident prone). Some years ago, possibly ten,
I was working in my garden with a brush cutter and
accidentally cut into a wasps’ nest in the base of a shrub.
They didn’t like it very much! I had wasps’ stings all over
my head, but managed to get back indoors, shut my dog
away, put myself in the recovery position on the floor
with the phone, call the ambulance service and phone
my wife’s school… then oblivion! When I came round
there were four paramedics, a land ambulance and the
air ambulance; on this occasion, however, I was taken to
hospital by road.
“Working at the East Somerset Railway is a hobby. By
profession I’m a retired Vicar, and I now help out
in St Peter’s Church in Evercreech. I have since
discovered that I am the third member of that
church congregation who has been helped by
the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. In
light of this, the Church Council decided that
25 per cent of our Christmas collections would
go to the Charity.
“I shall always be eternally grateful to Dorset
and Somerset Air Ambulance and was delighted
to be able to meet the aircrew who undoubtedly saved
my life.”
The crew who attended this incident were: First
Responder Helen Jefferis, Dr David Martin, CCP
Mark Williams, Paramedic Steve Westbrook and
Pilot Max Hoskins
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance @dsairambulance 19
18-29 DSAA_Why we do it.indd 19 09/03/2017 10:21