Firm backing emergency medical service that saved worker

Carryduff Building Supplies is inviting customers and suppliers to a breakfast morning on Friday, April 20, 9am - 12 noon.

Proceeds from the event, which has been planned for several months, will go to Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (AANI) - a charity the firm now has very good reason to support.

“We could not have anticipated that on a Tuesday afternoon at the end of March the Air Ambulance would be needed in our own yard to help one of our staff, Damien, who suffered a serious accident,” a statement issued by the Gilliland family said.

“As we stood and looked on, we realised the speed and skill with which the AANI crew worked. The main advantage of the AANI is that a trauma doctor is part of their crew. Had the Air Ambulance not been available, then just the road ambulance paramedics would have been here to assist without a doctor present. The AANI doctor was therefore able to administer immediate life-saving treatment on site that helped in saving Damien’s arm and probably life.

“Damien has now been discharged from hospital and is making a good recovery. There is no doubt that the outcome could, and most probably would, have been different had the Air Ambulance not been present.”

The statement added: “The Air Ambulance costs around £5,500 per day to run and currently has been tasked over 250 times since its inception in late July 2017.

“With this in mind we are asking all our suppliers and customers for their support in giving as generously as possible to this charity.”