County Air Ambulance reports that it is the first air ambulance service in the U.K. to take delivery of a state-of-the-art helicopter mobile command and control unit. Ian Clayton, operations manager, says: "The unit has been designed to manage a safe and orderly flow of air ambulance flights should a major emergency incident occur anywhere in the Midlands' region."

West Midlands Ambulance Service assigned the £30,000 unit to County which currently operates three aircraft and provides a secondary service to neighbouring regions.

Ian Clayton, operations manager, explains: "Should County be called upon to attend a major emergency situation, it is likely that air ambulances will also respond from all over the U.K. It is therefore necessary to coordinate air safety at the scene and near receiving hospitals, and our mobile command unit makes this possible."

County has been on a recruitment drive to boost the number of paramedics serving at its three helicopter bases across the Midlands and Welsh border region.

Twelve new paramedics recently completed their basic air competency training and have been recruited to flight operations with County Air Ambulance. Another three paramedics were recruited to full-time positions with the air service.

County recently commenced operations over a 16-hour period with two flight crews operating a shift system at the RAF Cosford base, covering the operational area between 0600 and 2200 every day of the week.

But increased fuel prices are hitting County hard, costing the charity an extra £130,000 a year. County's Steve Parry, says: "The hourly fuel bill is currently £104. From October, when our fixed price deal ends, the fuel cost is expected to reach over £170 an hour. It is likely we will see our fuel bill increase by as much as 60% by the end of the year."

The air ambulance burns 245 litres of jet fuel every 60 minutes, with the helicopters flying over 2,000 hours every year to 3,500 incidents. "Preferential rates are given to the charity by its fuel supplier," Parry adds.