Kent's air ambulance helps save lives on a daily basis.

Under the umbrella of the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Trust, the registered provides emergency medical cover to those living in the three counties.

And, unfortunately, we never know when it's going to be us needing that life-saving helicopter trip to hospital.

The helicopters’ rapid response to medical emergencies with a highly skilled doctor and critical care paramedic on board delivers A&E directly to the patient within minutes.

Medics bring to the scene the type of expertise and equipment that would normally only be found in the resuscitation area of a hospitals emergency department.

That's because getting vital care to the patient as early as possible - including open heart surgery - is simply a matter of life and death.

The charity says: "It’s not just about saving lives but also affecting the quality of a patient's survival to a considerable degree."

On average five serious accidents happen on the roads of Kent, Surrey and Sussex every day, but road accidents only account for about 41% of the emergencies the Air Ambulance attends.

Medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest and strokes account for a further 25%. But the charity also attends a wide range of life-threatening medical emergencies, including industrial incidents, falls from a height and paediatric trauma.

The Air Ambulance attends approximately four to six emergencies every day, flying during daylight hours 365 days a year.

The service also hopes to soon operate at night.

But the air ambulance is funded almost entirely by the generosity of the public, businesses and charitable organisations in the counties covered, and by the charity’s own lottery.

A few interesting facts

With two helicopters and two medical teams, crews can cover Kent, Surrey and Sussex - giving each county its own air ambulance service.

All missions include at least one doctor, one paramedic and, of course, a pilot!

The helicopter service is available to everyone living, working and travelling through the counties.

The service is independent. It is not part of the Ambulance Service or NHS and is funded almost entirely by voluntary donations

The charity's two helicopters can reach any part of the region within 20 minutes

They fly at average speeds of 150mph at 500 to 1,500ft.

Charity No. 1021367

To find out more about the Kent Air Ambulance, and how to donate, follow this link.