Our aim is to save lives, reduce or prevent disability, or suffering from critical illness and injury, by delivering a first-class pre- hospital emergency medical service to the people of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.
Our highly skilled and specially trained pre-hospital care doctors and critical care paramedics work alongside our regional partners using helicopters and rapid response vehicles fitted with state-of-the-art life-saving equipment. Our critical care teams are dispatched by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST).
We are here to assist everyone who lives, works, or is travelling through the region. The service is provided by the charity free of charge to patients of all ages, from every background and faith, who require the most advanced clinical care.
Overview
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT), unlike NHS emergency services, is a charity. It brings the hospital to the critically ill and injured patients of Essex, Hertfordshire and surrounding areas. The free life-saving service is response vehicles overnight. Each critical care team consists of a pilot and co-pilot, a pre-hospital care doctor and a critical care paramedic who can be rushed to the scene of an incident with life-saving support equipment to deliver advanced clinical care that is normally only found in the hospital emergency department. Once stabilised, the patient will be conveyed by air or land to the most appropriate hospital for their needs.
It costs £12 million every year to cover all operational and charitable costs. Without access to National Lottery funding and with only limited support from Government, we rely upon the generosity and goodwill of the people and businesses of Essex and Hertfordshire to remain operational and keep saving lives
- Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) is a Charity that provides a Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) for the critically ill and injured of Essex, Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas.
- The service is provided free of charge, but the charity receives limited direct funding from the Government and none from the National Lottery. It costs in excess of £1 million every month to keep the service operational and cover all charitable costs. This would not be possible without the goodwill of people in Essex, and Hertfordshire.
- Each of the charity’s HEMS teams consist of two Pilots, a pre-Hospital Care Doctor and a Critical Care Paramedic.
- These teams attended 2,505 missions in 2024, with each mission costing around £2,800. Breakdown of missions for 2024 were: 526 road traffic collisions, 1,029 medical emergencies, 950 accidental injuries and other trauma incidents.
- 1,388 missions were delivered by air ambulance and 1,117 missions were delivered by Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs).
- During 2024 EHAAT’s critical care teams treated 85 patients with blood products, involved primarily in road traffic collisions, penetrating injuries and falls.
- The fleet consists of two Air Ambulances, and four RRVs. The RRVs are crewed by a Pre-hospital Care Doctor and a Critical Care Paramedic and carry the same life-saving equipment as the helicopters.
- From 7am until 8.30pm, the Critical Care Team provides the service using helicopters based at Earls Colne and North Weald. RRVs are used when the helicopters are unable to fly because of poor weather or maintenance.
- Overnight from 8.30pm to 7.30am the service is provided using an RRV based at North Weald.
Volunteering Angle – we do have a shop in Royston if you’re interested in hearing from a volunteer who helps out?
Your local life-saving charity
Did you know that your local air ambulance service is a charity, relying on donations?
You might think that the helicopters of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) often seen flying overhead, are part of the NHS. But this free life-saving service provided 24/7 by helicopters and rapid response vehicles (RRVs) receives limited government funding and no National Lottery grants.
It is thanks to local people and businesses across Essex and Hertfordshire raising funds for EHAAT that the charity can provide its vital medical emergency service.
Last year, their critical care team treated 1,745 patients, operating from two airbases in Earls Colne and North Weald.
Each critical care team consists of a pre-hospital care doctor, a critical care paramedic plus a pilot and co-pilot who rush their clinical colleagues to the scene of medical emergencies within minutes, carrying life-saving equipment to deliver advanced clinical care. Usually, this equipment is only available in the hospital emergency department. Thanks to EHAAT and local people’s generosity, patients have received life-saving transfusions from the blood reserves carried on board the helicopters and RRVs.
Many volunteers lend a helping hand to support the charity, all playing an important part. Jane Morton, EHAAT Volunteer Manager says their time is hugely valued by the charity. She explains: “The core of our operations extends beyond our fleet of helicopters and advanced medical interventions, it’s the spirit of our supporters and volunteers that drive us forward.
“From helping in our charity shops to sorting treasures in our warehouses, picking up collection tins, giving engaging visitor centre tours and supporting events, every hour of volunteering makes a meaningful difference. Yet, it’s more than the tasks at hand – it’s about making connections and lasting friendships. Whether it’s sharing experiences, learning new skills, or stepping in to support community events, our volunteers not only impact our operations as a charity but inspire others and create positive change across our local communities.”
If you’re looking to give your time to help your local life-saving charity in the most meaningful way, please visit ehaat.org/volunteer
Legacy angle
The legacy we leave reflects our values and the lasting impact we can have on our communities. By leaving a gift to charity in your Will, you help ensure that vital work continues for generations to come.
For Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT), legacy gifts are a lifeline, funding 1 in 4 missions. Every gift, no matter its size, plays a crucial role—enabling highly skilled critical care teams to deliver pre-hospital treatments across Essex, Hertfordshire, and beyond.
As Carmel Hudson, EHAAT’s Legacy Manager, explains, “Every gift, large or small, makes an incredible difference. Together, they help us save lives and provide critical care to those in need. They are lasting legacies that will always be remembered.”
Beyond funding missions, a gift in your Will is a deeply personal way to make a lasting impact. It ensures your values live on, helping future generations receive life-saving care. Legacy gifts are also tax-free, and if you donate more than 10% of your net estate, Inheritance Tax reduces from 40% to 36%, meaning more of your estate can benefit loved ones while supporting a cause close to your heart.
Today, only half of UK adults have a Will, often believing the process is complex or costly. In reality, making a Will is simple and gives you peace of mind.
With limited government funding and no National Lottery funding, EHAAT relies on generous supporters. Your legacy gift could be someone’s lifeline—helping a patient recover, return home, and enjoy more precious moments.
To learn more, visit ehaat.org/giw or email [email protected].
