In February 2022 a team from The East Anglian Air Ambulance were dispatched to a road traffic collision involving long-serving Prism Electronics production worker, Lisa Haswell. Thanks to the rapid response of the air ambulance team Lisa was able to receive the life-saving critical care by the roadside. Thankfully, due to this swift action of the EAAA team, further critical care with Addenbrookes ICU and many months hospitalisation, Lisa is now firmly on the road to recovery.
Upon meeting the team members for the first time Lisa commented that while she has no clear recollection of the accident itself or the immediate aftermath, it was still very emotional to meet the responding crew and their support members who all helped save her life on that evening.
Dr Patricia Mills, Consultant Anaesthetist and Critical Care specialist who attended the collision and is pictured with Lisa recalled; “Lisa was incredibly brave, especially as she was conscious for much of the time. It was a dark, wet, and chilly evening, the car itself was also in a precarious position. Lisa was very poorly when we arrived with multiple injuries. While we were immediately aware of some Lisa’s obvious trauma we would grow increasingly concerned with the less obvious issue of internal injuries.
On arrival we had been made aware by the initial first-responders that Lisa was profoundly deaf. This added a further consideration when we were working to reassure her of what was happening as we stabilised her condition and the fire service dismantled her car around us. Due to the severity of Lisa’s injuries and the significant traffic congestion around the scene we opted to transfer Lisa by air, directly to Addenbrookes Accident and Emergency Department.
It is wonderful to see her again and well on the road to recovery.” Lisa was joined by Prism’s Managing Director Dave Dawson and Prism HR Manager Claire George who has been working closely with Lisa during her rehabilitation as she begins her return-to-work phase.
Dave said, “We felt as a business it was important to recognise the entire team at East Anglian Air Ambulance for their incredible work. Unfortunately, one of our own team had a traumatic incident on her way home from work. Lisa’s accident reminds us all that life-changing events can happen to anyone. Our region can be incredibly thankful that we have such a dedicated and skilled organisation as the EAAA to help us in our moment of often greatest need. “After everything the team at EAAA did for Lisa and seeing first-hand how hard the whole team work to maintain the service and keep the charity operational, we wanted to donate something to this extremely worthy cause. We are so grateful for everything they did for Lisa that evening and also what they do for our community each and every day of the year.”
As a charity, the East Anglian Air Ambulance receives no government funding, relying almost entirely on public fundraising and donations. Without donations from individuals and companies like Prism Electronics, they would be unable to provide life-saving critical care across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. In 2022 alone the team were tasked with over 2,500 missions by helicopter or rapid response vehicle. Air Ambulance pilots Matt and Lee extended their thanks to Prism Electronics Ltd for their donation.
You can find out more information about the team, the charity and how you can support their fundraising activities by visiting their website www.eaaa.org.uk.
