Great Western Air Ambulance Charity Responds to Record Number of Incidents in 2025
On Friday, January 9, 2026, Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC) announced that it had responded to a record number of incidents for the second year in a row. The charity provides critical care to the regions of Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, and parts of Wiltshire.
With one helicopter and three critical care cars, GWAAC’s specially trained crew responded to 2,344 people in urgent need of medical care in 2025. This is an average of six more call-outs per month compared to 2024. GWAAC’s crew, which includes Critical Care Paramedics and Consultant Doctors, bring the skills, experience, and equipment found in a hospital emergency department directly to the patient, providing fast and life-saving care.
Medical Incidents on the Rise
In 2025, GWAAC saw an increase in medical-related incidents, accounting for 56% of their total call-outs. This is a slight increase from 2024, where the charity responded to 55% medical incidents. GWAAC’s Operations Officer, Tim Ross-Smith, believes this could be a result of the educational work the charity has been doing with road paramedics. He stated, “We’re getting more requests for assistance from our local land ambulance crews on top of the traditional air ambulance call-outs for incidents like road traffic collisions and cardiac arrests. This could be due to the outreach work our crew are doing, educating land paramedics about when we can add value to patients who are in urgent need of care.”
Top Reasons for Call-Outs
GWAAC’s crew were called to 521 people in cardiac arrest, making it the biggest single reason for needing the charity’s services in 2025. Sixty-six-year-old Pam is one of many who are grateful for the quick response and life-saving care provided by GWAAC. She suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at home and needed the charity’s help. Pam shared her story, saying, “I’m here today because my husband immediately called 999, the paramedics gave me CPR and defibrillation, the GWAAC team kept me stable and got me to a specialist heart hospital. I’d encourage anyone to learn how to do CPR and find where their nearest defibrillator is so they know how to help in an emergency. And I’d say, please support GWAAC! They’re not part of the NHS and rely on donations to continue saving lives.”
Gloucestershire and Bristol are Busiest Regions
GWAAC’s crew were called to help 677 people in Gloucestershire, making it the busiest region for the charity. Bristol closely followed with 668 people needing urgent care. South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset, and Somerset also had a significant number of call-outs. Additionally, GWAAC’s crew were tasked to 46 patients outside of their usual region, including in Wales.
Support from the Community
CEO Anna Perry expressed her gratitude to the community for their support in 2025, saying, “Demand for our lifesaving service has never been higher and I feel very proud that GWAAC has been able to help a record number of people for a consecutive year.” However, she also acknowledged the challenges the charity faces, including increased operational costs and a tough fundraising environment. Perry urged the community to continue supporting GWAAC in 2026, saying, “If you can, please donate and help us be there for more people in the future.”
For more information on GWAAC and ways to support the charity, please visit www.gwaac.com.
