Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It’s a flying ambulance

Emergency treatment takes off to the skies as private security firm launches aircraft ambulances that will rescue victims, operate mid-air

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It's a flying ambulance

Emergency treatment takes off to the skies as private security firm launches aircraft ambulances that will rescue victims, operate mid-air

Now, crash survivors on a deserted island won't be the only ones waving at passing planes with an SOS. City-dwellers, too, can look up for hope, quite literally. Security agency Tops has launched a new division, Tops Air Rescue, that will involve mid-air aid like trauma and life support and critical care.

With a panel of 60 doctors, including super-specialists, a fleet of ambulance aircraft is getting ready to span the skies of Mumbai. Each airplane has two specialists and one paramedic on board, and specialists are added as per individual patient need.

"The idea is to save lives quickly, but of course, there is a need for air rescue insurance, a service that operates in the West but is missing on Indian soil, thereby increasing costs significantly," said Dr Prabhat Jauhari, chief operation officer at Tops Security.

The airborne ICU has a bed, battery-operated equipment and basic as well as specialised medical tools. Treatment relating to cancer treatment, burn care, head and spinal cord injury and strokes are also available. So far, around 10 to 15 patients with 100 per cent success rate have been tended to, mid-flight. Though the service is already facing a lack of demand, thanks to the slump, it is making adequate arrangements to handle other bottlenecks like air pressure management and landing platforms. "Necessary changes are being made in the machines to deal with the increased air pressure in flight, and get patients adjusted to it," said Sameer Shaikh, an orthopedic surgeon on board.

However, patients are happy. "I suffered from viral encephalitis during my pregnancy, and had to be put on the ventilator in the Bombay Hospital's Indore branch. As my condition deteriorated, I had to be shifted to Bombay Hospital's Mumbai branch. Both me and my baby were saved only because of this service," said Shweta Singhai, who gives the invention a thumbs-up.

Such services are already operating in the West like Aerocare Air Ambulance and Heathrow Air Ambulance Service. Dr Diwan Rahul Nanda, Global Chairman and managing director, Topsgrup has brought it to India.

Flying facts

It takes two to three hours for the ambulance to reach local destinations. Time taken in International transfers depends on many factors like passports, visa, international permits and landing arrangements.

The service is primarily aimed at the insurance industry, travel industry, international repatriation companies, embassies, public and private companies, hospital trusts.

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