1st November 2016

MP raises awareness for Bonfire Night

 

An MP is raising safety awareness in advance of Bonfire Night after he was airlifted by the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance in July 2016, following a bonfire accident.

 

Gordon Henderson, Conservative MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, arrived at Sheppey Community Hospital having suffered 30% burns to his body whilst lighting a fire with a small amount of petrol.

 

Due to the seriousness of his burns, the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance crew were called to the scene. Following assessment and treatment by their medical team, he was then airlifted to the trauma unit at Tunbridge Wells Hospital for further treatment.

He was later transferred to the specialist burns unit at Queen Victorial Hospital in East Grinstead, spending ten days there.

 

Mr Henderson has since made a good recovery and visited the charity’s Marden base on Friday 28th October, four months on from his accident. He met Paramedic, Caroline Rose and Pilot, Captain Kevin Goddard who attended to Mr Henderson on that day.

 

Speaking ahead of Bonfire Night this weekend, Mr Henderson said: “To anybody out there who is in the habit of using petrol to start a bonfire, or is tempted to do so in the future, I would urge you to resist such temptation. Never use petrol on bonfires. I am so grateful to all those who cared for me in hospital and to the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance. This experience has really brought home to me the absolute importance of this charity.”

 

Mr Henderson was flown to Pembury in just 15 minutes – a journey that could have taken an hour by road.

 

As part of National Burns Awareness Day on 19th October, the charity helped to raise awareness of burns and the importance of administering the right first aid. Find out more here:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/burns-and-scalds/pages/treatment.aspx

 

To make a donation to the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance or to find out more about the charity, go to: www.kssairambulance.org.uk