Medical flights are the forerunners when it comes to conducting search and rescue missions. Often, these efforts necessitate air ambulances to coordinate with firefighters, the police, and so on. However, seamless coordination is nothing new to organizations that conduct air ambulance rescue missions. One of the areas that we do not see many air ambulance service providers are rescues when it comes to fires on high rises. While such missions are rarely highlighted, it must be known that medical flights do take part in such rescues. Of course, the ones that participate in these missions follow certain protocols to remain safe and undertake an effective exercise.
Medical Flights in Firefighting – The Considerations
There is only one way that fire usually travels and that is up. Of course, medical flights too hover atop high rises when there is a fire. This means that whatever help the medical flights can provide, it must be executed quickly and effectively. Also, there are certain protocols like remaining at least three feet above the top of the building. Besides, there must be no misconception that medical flights fight the fire. They usually involve themselves in search and rescue missions where people stranded atop the high rises are provided adequate medical care and are evacuated.
Firefighters and Paramedics Matter
At the end of the day, medical flights can only get rescue specialists to the most advantageous position so that help can be delivered on time. Usually, missions like these involve both paramedics and firefighters or firefighters who are trained to fill both shoes. One of the primary reasons that air ambulance choppers do not land on the roof of buildings is the question surrounding structural integrity during fires. It must be noted that helicopters themselves weigh quite a lot. Hoisting is most often used during such missions.
