Two new recruits will be joining the Cornwall Air Ambulance this summer, including the crew’s first female paramedic in a number of years.
Amy Sainsbury and Paul Symonds secured their coveted places on board following tough recruitment process including physical fitness tests, demanding clinical assessments and interviews.
They will now embark on a strenuous training programme to qualify them as HEMS crewmembers.
Employed by South Western Ambulance Service, they are learning all about meteorology and navigation using the helicopter systems, as well as getting to grips with principles of flight and aero-medicine, and the technical difficulties of dealing with critically ill and injured patients in flight.
They will also have to learn all of the emergency safety checks, together with marshalling skills, refueling and firefighting.
Once qualified, they will join four experienced aircrew and take up duties from late June, just in time for the busy summer season.
Lead air crew paramedic Steve Garvey, thanked Neil Lentern and Scott Marshall who are leaving the full time crew, for their dedication to serving on the aircraft.
He said: “We wish them well in the next stage of the career development as professional clinicians.”
