The celebrations have barely ended but a high-flying charity which has recently marked a landmark mission is already making plans for the future.
Wales Air Ambulance launched on St David’s Day 2001, attending a rugby neck injury in Glynneath on its first ever callout.
Since then crews have been to 20,000 incidents across Wales.
And their 20,000th callout was no less dramatic than usual.
They arrived at the scene of a head-on collision on the A4107 in Treochy within minutes. They were met by a patient with chest and arm injuries who had been thrown from the car.
Paramedic Jason Hughes, who on was duty, said they were able to land on the winding valley road within minutes.
The man, who was “lucky to be alive,” arrived at University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, just seven minutes later.
Now they are looking at boosting the vital service for the future.
In September the Welsh Government announced they were giving up to £5m to set up the first national service involving “flying doctors”.
The EMRTS Cymru service will mean 95% of the population will be able to access doctor-led care within 30 minutes and be delivered with Wales Air Ambulance.
Vice Chair of the board of trustees, Dr Kyle Jacques, said the developments are “really exciting”.
He said every second counts in an emergency.
“It can mean the difference between life and death but it can also mean the difference between a patient being in hospital for months and months or having a quick turnaround.
“With heart attacks or strokes minutes matter”.
He said that the flying doctors are due to take to the air in April. They will then be able to communicate with the hospital directly while in the air and ensure that patients receive the most urgent and time-sensitive care as soon as they arrive at the hospital door.
The charity has three helicopters in Wales and after its revamp the Mid Wales ambulance has night-flying capabilities and joins some of the most advanced airborne medical teams in the country.
But the service needs £6m in charitable donations every year and it costs on average £1,500 each time the helicopter attends an incident.
One family who say they will now be supporting it at every opportunity are the Hague family from Cresselly in Pembrokeshire.
They were getting ready for a normal half term day in October when 10-year-old Tom collapsed and quickly turned blue.
It was the most severe asthma episode he had ever suffered and, as soon as a road ambulance arrived, paramedics called for back-up.
Within 10 minutes the helicopter had landed, stopping traffic near the family’s home. They then rushed Tom to Morriston Hospital where he spent two days being treated.
Driving it would have taken 80 minutes to get to Swansea or 40 minutes to Carmarthen.
But by flying Tom was in the care of specialised paramedics immediately and doctors within 10 minutes.
Mum Liz said she has always known the work the Air Ambulance did but never thought it would be her family who needed its help.
“They were so professional, they explained everything to me and the pilot spent time putting my mind at ease.
“I know what they do but I didn’t think it would be for people like me. But they were the ones who flew and landed and came to help us.”
But now the family say their eyes have been opened by the experience.
“I’d never looked at their website before and when I did I saw they do a lottery, all the fundraising, and I suddenly realised it’s there for everybody in an emergency. It’s all funded by charity. I’ll always be taking anything I can to their charity shop now.”
The charity’s chief executive, Angela Hughes, said: “We couldn’t have reached this milestone without the help from the public, our volunteers, and everyone that has ever supported us.
“They have helped us to raise the vital funds needed to fly the three helicopters which means we are able to be on standby for anyone that needs us 365 days a year.”
