When a road traffic incident left eight-year-old George trapped in a submerged car, fighting for his life, it was the quick actions of Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance crew that gave him the best chance of survival.
It was January 2006, and George was travelling with his mum, Jo, near Spalding, Lincolnshire, when the car caught some loose chippings at the edge of the road and suddenly began to zig-zig from side to side. Before they knew it, the car was heading down the bank as the car flipped and landed upside down, fully submerged in water.
Jo managed to free herself from the vehicle and rushed to the passenger side of the wrecked car to rescue her son. She managed to open the back passenger door and scramble inside.
With only a small pocket of air inside the submerged car, she knew time was against her. It seemed like an eternity before she was able to release his seatbelt and pull George unconscious out of the back of the car and onto the bankside.
Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance crew arrived in record time and they quickly decided to airlift George straight to Pilgrim Hospital, Boston. The flight took just 7 minutes, something that could have really made a difference.
George is now 25 years old and recalls the accident. He said: “I was in a bad way, and it was thought that I wouldn’t make it.”
George will be forever grateful to Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance and as he got older, he began taking part in challenge events and selling raffle tickets, encouraging others to buy a ticket and support LNAA’s life-saving work.
So far, George has raised £6105.86 which could buy enough fuel for the helicopter to fly to the scene of 15 emergencies and be by the side of more critically ill and injured patients.
George is currently selling tickets for LNAA’s Spring Raffle. More information can be found on LNAA’s website www.ambucopter.org.uk/lottery/raffle.
