The History of Air Ambulances

Air ambulances have been in effect since the early days of World War I. Advances in technology, including the advent of the helicopter in the postwar era and the development of municipal emergency medical service programs, has reduced the mortality rate of patients significantly. In the United States there are an estimated 200 operational air ambulances.

Origins

French and British military records recorded details of early, but inconsistent use of aircraft as air ambulances during World War I. In Turkey, a wounded British soldier was flown in a de Havilland DHH to a hospital in 45 minutes in a journey that would have taken three days by land.

Mortality Rate

The French Air Service, recognizing the need for medical transport, studied the use of aircraft to transport patients from remote areas to hospitals and found the mortality rate could be reduced from about 60 percent to less than 10 percent if wounded or injured personnel were transported with six hours of injury.

Advances in Australia

Given the expanse of Australia, an air ambulance operation, the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, was developed in Queensland in 1928. A Qantas de Havilland was used and staffed by the pilot, a physician and one nurse and enough room for a single patient. In its first year, 50 operations were carried out, covering an estimated 20,000 miles and saving the lives of about 25 people.

Postwar Obstacles

Switzerland had explored using air ambulances following the rise in popularity of winter sports, which also increased the number of skiing accidents. But Swiss authorities found it impractical to develop a program because fixed-wing aircraft could not land at remote mountain areas. Later Switzerland used Eurocopter EC 145 helicopters and the fixed-wing King Air 200 Ambulance.

MASH

Mobile Army Surgical Hospital units close to battlefield operations in Korea greatly perfected the use of air ambulances. Bell 47 Sioux helicopters with stretchers mounted on its skids brought wounded soldiers to field hospitals in just minutes. The survival rate of soldiers receiving medical attention skyrocketed to more than 90 percent. Since the Vietnam War, the success rate of the air ambulance has led to the mortality rate following a head injury reduced by 15 percent.

Practical Applications

The air ambulance industry has evolved into a quasi-government operation. Cities, counties and states in the United States usually contract services with a private air ambulance company to provide emergency services. These costs are often borne by the taxpayer, although in recent years cash-strapped municipalities may charge patients or their families for service if injuries are sustained through bad judgment, such as hiking or skiing in a restricted and unsafe area.

Today's Operations

Air ambulance operations can be broken in to two areas: A paramedic team that specializes in triage at the scene and quick transport to a medical facility, or a physician-led team that transports a doctor and nurse to the scene of an accident or disaster for more thorough medical treatment before transportation.

Resources

• Flight for Life Colorado: Air Ambulance Information