An East Galway man believes he wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for the assistance of the Athlone Air Ambulance.
Johnny Lyons was airlifted from his home in Killimor having sustained serious injuries in a bull attack in November 2019.
Speaking at a special event to mark the 10th anniversary of the Emergency Aeromedical Service in Baldonnel yesterday, the local farmer thanked the paramedics and defence forces for saving his life.
It took just nine minutes for Johnny to be taken by the Air Corps to University Hospital Galway, a journey which takes over 45 minutes by road.
Speaking to Shannonside FM at the event, the Killimor native believes he mightn't have survived the attack if it wasn't for the rapid response of the helicopter:
"I don't think I'd be here talking to you today if I hadn't because the time was of the essence at that stage. I was 15 days in hospital, I was ten days in ICU. It's a very very good service and it's needed.
Rural Ireland needs something like that. and the helicopter is only a few minutes, you're only talking a half an hour when they get the call in Athlone."
