The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service exists to improve the health and well-being of the people of Northern Ireland. We apply the highest levels of knowledge and skill to preserve life, prevent deterioration and promote recovery. We touch lives at times of basic human need, when care and compassion are what matter most.
NIAS provides high quality emergency, urgent and primary care services throughout the whole of Northern Ireland. Our dedicated, committed and highly skilled staff work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to ensure that our patients receive the best possible care.
We have 46 stations and deployment points spread over 5345 square miles (13,843 km2), serving a population of over 1.8 million.
The most important function that NIAS performs is responding to emergency 999 calls as fast as possible, helping those in life-threatening conditions. We also strive to help those who require non-emergency assistance by pointing them in the correct direction for the information that they require.
Another duty that the Ambulance Service undertakes is transporting the most vulnerable patients in our community to outpatient hospital appointments. We do this by utilising our Patient Transport Service and the Voluntary Car Scheme.
At NIAS we have procedures in place to help with Major Incidents, be it incidents involving hazardous materials to a train crash. Our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) will be at these scenes working with our other emergency services to treat anyone that is injured, including their fellow emergency service colleagues.