TRAINER Michael ‘Mouse’ Morris has urged the racing community to support the Irish Community Air Ambulance. He speaks from personal experience as the Helicopter Emergency Service (HEMS) was called to his Tipperary yard in October after one of his staff members suffered a fall on the gallops.

The Irish Community Air Ambulance is Ireland’s first and only charity-funded HEMS Air Ambulance. It works in partnership with the National Ambulance Service and is tasked to respond to serious incidents and medical emergencies from its base in Rathcoole in North Cork.

Ambulance

The service has responded to more than 50 racing and equestrian related incidents during 2021. The incidents include falls from horses, kicks from horses and animal attacks by bulls on stud farms. Each mission costs an average of €3,500, all of which has to be raised or donated.

Morris said: “This year opened my eyes to the importance of the charity-funded Irish Community Air Ambulance when a stable employee of mine suffered a serious fall and needed to be transferred from my Tipperary base to Cork University Hospital.

“If it wasn’t for the Air Ambulance, she would have been in a lot more pain and her recovery might have taken longer. It was the type of incident that needed an airlift and so we’re very grateful they arrived so quickly. That is why I am appealing to the horse racing and equestrian industry to support them this Christmas.”

The leading trainer has written to fellow trainers and owners in the racing and equestrian industry asking them to join with him and become a supporter of the Irish Community Air Ambulance.

Crashing fall

It is not the first time the Irish Community Air Ambulance has been needed in racing. In 2019, David Mullins suffered a crashing fall at Thurles and was airlifted to Cork University Hospital.

CEO of the Irish Community Air Ambulance, Micheál Sheridan explained: “We know that having such a well-known and respected figure supporting our cause can only add to the success of this appeal.

“We have received huge support from the racing and equestrian communities since our HEMS Air Ambulance first launched in July 2019. We are really grateful to organisations like Coolmore and the IHRB through the Jockey’s Emergency Fund who have made long-term commitments to our service. We are called to the most serious and life threatening incidents many of which involve horses.

“Our dedicated crew, including our pilot, advanced paramedics and EMT’s stand ready to respond to every call and when time is critical, they bring hope.”

If you can sponsor or donate to this vital service contact Karen O’Sullivan by emailing karen.osullivan@communityairambulance.ie.