With the requirements for a high level of practicality, reliability and durability, the Octavia vRS estate car was chosen by London’s Air Ambulance to support its trauma unit. Its fast-response capability, thanks to a punchy engine and excellent chassis dynamics, let alone its manageable proportions, have made it a preferred choice. The charity has also added two Kodiaq 4x4s to its fleet that feature an even more spacious interior combined with all-terrain capability.
Skoda has worked with London’s Air Ambulance for the past 12 years and the five new vehicles acquired recently, which are on a three-year lease deal through Volkswagen Financial Services, will act as the ground support alongside its twin helicopters. The rapid response cars are called into action from sunset to 8am and in adverse weather conditions, when the helicopter is unable to fly. Based at The Royal London Hospital, in East London, they are driven by the service’s paramedics and navigated by an advanced trauma doctor. They need to be ready to respond quickly to an emergency.
The charity’s helicopter and cars are dispatched by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) Emergency Operational Centre, which monitors up to 5,000 medical 999 calls that are received each day. The service now uses a bespoke dispatch app that connects to the vehicle’s infotainment system to ensure that the medical team can reach the patient as quickly and safely as possible.
London’s Air Ambulance Physician Response Unit (PRU) also utilises the vehicles as it carries out its operations 12 hours a day, seven days a week. The 610-litre boot in the Octavia estate offers space to carry the advanced medication and equipment that would usually only be found in a hospital environment. This enables the life-saving crew to treat people at the scene, or at their homes.
Paul Smith, Driving Standards Manager at London’s Air Ambulance, commented: “We provide a vital service to the capital, transporting an advanced trauma doctor and paramedic to seriously injured people. While the helicopter can reach patients in a matter of minutes, our fleet of rapid response cars is also critical to serve the community and ensures that we are ready to respond instantly in all-weather conditions. The reliability and performance of Skoda continues to meet the demands of our services and we are pleased to renew the contract.”
London’s Air Ambulance service places heavy demands on its vehicles and it is fantastic to see that they continue to perform excellently under pressure. The Kodiaq is a new addition to its fleet and its combination of high-performance, 4x4 competence and fuel economy will prove great resilience to the team.
