Medical evacuations have improved drastically in safety and efficiency over the years, since their rudimentary beginnings as far back as 1928. In more recent times, the military have made great improvements in the field of emergency evacuations. These advancements in technology and medicine are now available to civilians in need of the best medical care possible while being transported to a hospital for treatment.

The History of Medical evacuations Medical evacuation is a broad term that relates to the timely, efficient transport and medical care supplied by medical practitioners to the critically injured or ill. Treatment is given while the patient is evacuated from one location to another, where better or more preferred medical facilities are available. Medical evacuation involves medically equipped vehicles and aircraft.

This service has its origins in the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia or RFDS, which was established in 1928 to provide an air ambulance service for those living in the remote inland areas of Australia. During its first year of operations, the Royal Flying Doctor Service flew approximately 20,000 miles in 50 flights, becoming the first comprehensive air ambulance service in the world. It soon became the model for the development of Air Ambulances all over the world that provide Medical evacuation services today.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is still in operation in Australia, servicing approximately 643 patients per day. Military organizations started to develop air ambulances for use in Medical evacuations during the Second World War and are still commonly called upon for services today.

Modern Medical evacuation Services Air Ambulances services such as Air Ambulance One generally operate as part of a large air ambulance network that maintain thousands of aircraft and span the globe. Their services are available world wide 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Patients that receive Medical evacuations are always accompanied by a critical care specialist including either a nurse and/or paramedic. However when the need arises, doctors or specialists may also accompany the patient to their destination. Medical evacuation teams are equipped with state of the art equipment to handle any medical situations that may arise during the evacuation. Ventilators, medication, ECG, monitoring units, CPR equipment, cardiac monitors and defibrillators are all equipment commonly carried by first class air ambulances.

Type of Aircraft Used The aircraft used in Medical evacuations varies depending on the location that a person is being evacuated from. In hard to reach areas or to cover relatively short distances, a helicopter such as the Eurocopter EC-145 may be used. However for longer distances including international flights, many companies use fixed wing aircraft such as the Cheyenne, Lear Jet and Gulfstream to transport patients. These aircraft are designated to transport patients and their family members from anywhere in the world to any destination with safety and comfort, while providing the highest level of patient care during the flight.