[Ram]

When we watch developed world TV, we see accident casualties being rushed to hospital by helicopter, often saving their lives. The term is medevac: rapid transport of seriously injured persons, particularly trauma patients, from the scene of accident to hospital.

The good news is that Mumbai now has its own helicopter ambulance service.



Mumbai based TOPSGRUP has started a service called TOPS AIR RESCUE. They provide air ambulance transportation service to individuals, hospitals, and other medical care providers.
Check out http://TopsAirRescue.com

TOPSGRUP is a Rs. 200 crore ISO 9001:2000 certified security services group.

Mumbai already enjoys India’s first and fastest 911-like emergency response service. This is provided by the same company. They call their service TOPSLINE–1252.

While 911 in the US is a government service, 1252 in Mumbai is a private subscription-based service.(Rs. 100 per month per family)

It guarantees that 911-help will reach within nine minutes of call. They claim to have already saved 3000 lives since they launched in Sep. 2004.

[amit]

It's about time Mumbai got a helicopter ambulance.

I hope Topsline is doing a good job with their 1252 service because they sure botched up my registeration demand badly.

[GTO]

Thats like an oasis! Thanks for sharing this. If the service is reliable, it will truly be a life saver.

GTO

[Zappo]

Well its a bit too early in the day to talk about these services. In fact it is not just Mumbai. They are offering this service anywhere in the country. You just call them up and then they will do the necessary things.

However its not all as hunky-dory as it seems. They do not own any helicopters or planes. They lease these from the nearest chartered service from the requisitioned region. They also talk to the airport and other authorities for the necessary clearances. As of now they have been denied permisssions to land anywhere but the nearest airstrips. So that and all the other red-tape delays may just ensure that the service probably won't be as fast as you think it should be. They will also shift the patient to the airport by road. I shudder to think the time that will eat up in busy and choked cities. Also the costs are huge... As of now it is anywhere above 2.5lakhs to 3lakhs.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by Zappo

Well its a bit too early in the day to talk about these services. In fact it is not just Mumbai. They are offering this service anywhere in the country. You just call them up and then they will do the necessary things.

However its not all as hunky-dory as it seems. They do not own any helicopters or planes. They lease these from the nearest chartered service from the requisitioned region. They also talk to the airport and other authorities for the necessary clearances. As of now they have been denied permisssions to land anywhere but the nearest airstrips. So that and all the other red-tape delays may just ensure that the service probably won't be as fast as you think it should be. They will also shift the patient to the airport by road. I shudder to think the time that will eat up in busy and choked cities. Also the costs are huge... As of now it is anywhere above 2.5lakhs to 3lakhs.

Maybe there's hope yet!
A helicopter doesn't need an airport to fly-into. It can pick up a well-trussed patient via a stretcher-harness, from very rugged terrain (Himalayas) without landing the chopper. The armed forces do it routinely.


With our burgeoning number of road vehicles and decadent sense of discipline, accidents are on the increase. A helicopter ambulance will save lives. Heard of the Golden-Hour project?

As far as leasing is concerned, Jet Airways and even Air-India have the habit of leasing aircraft instead of buying them outright. There are dry-leases and wet-leases.
A leased aircraft may even be painted and furnished (outfitted) the way you want it.

Won't it concern everybody, if after receiving a cardiac episode call,TOPS have to assign doctors, lease a helicopter and prepare it with cardiac care equipment and then fly to where the patient has called from.

How many Mumbai business families do we imagine, can buy flats worth between 1 to 2 खोखा (crore)? A significant customer base.

There are thousands of business families in Mumbai as well as corporates that can afford $7,000 for a life-saving helicopter ambulance ride to relieve a cardiac emergency or road-accident or industrial burns emergency.

Satyam's 108 service sounds great.
If they have been given right of way, it is a very welcome and advanced step.

[Ram]

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now issued guidelines
for developing Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) facilities as well as make-shift helipads.

And there are contemporary norms to conform to, relating to:

• rotor noise-pollution,
• life-saving equipment,
• coverage by medical insurance policies, esp. for rural locations.

India being now on a high growth path, the US manufacturer: Bell Helicopter sees demand in India for quadrupling its fleet of 150 helicopters in the next few years.

By way of comparision, the USA has over 13,000 civilian helicopters.
So 95% Americans at anytime, are just about half-an-hour away from being whisked lifted to safety!

Ram

Ref: http://ia.rediff.com/money/2006/nov/02heli.htm