HELICOPTER AMBULANCE SERVICES

Persons living in South India will now be able to avail of helicopter ambulance services to be airlifted to a health hub in a medical emergency. Bengaluru-based Aviators Air Rescue is offering the service for an annual subscription of 9,000 for individuals and up to 18,000 for families. The firm has procured three helicopters from Airbus to cover Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala. The service will be inaugurated in the near future. It plans to add seven more helicopters to its fleet by April 2017 to extend its coverage to the entire country. Apart from providing helicopters, Airbus will also provide training for pilots and paramedics. Aviators Air Rescue is the first firm in India to offer such a service, under the newly notified Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) guidelines. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted approval on May 1, 2016.