Page 85 - AirForces - Monthly (February 2020)

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transport specialists

24 hours a day, 365 days a year. whose life is in immediate danger, Hospital mission flights are similar to
Every day, a Falcon fitted with a usually requiring urgent hospital medevac missions in terms of management,
stretcher and medical support treatment or at a specialist clinic but the patient is not in imminent danger.
equipment is ready to take off not available in their own area. A Humanitarian flights, however, are those
at immediate notice, capable typical example of this is Sardinia, authorised by the Presidenza del Consiglio
of responding to requests for where there is limited neo-natal dei Ministri (Prime Ministerial Cabinet) and
assistance within two hours. care available, and in the case which meet the requirements of the directives
The service is provided by two of post-natal complications, the regarding aeromedical flights to a foreign
crews on a rota shift of 12 hours hospitals on the island are forced destination – state-sanctioned flights for
each. Emergency requests are to seek the help of the AM. The Italians in difficulty abroad. Once all available
assigned alternatively to the two need for assistance is determined by information has been acquired and evaluated,
Gruppi, ensuring that the responsibility the medical authorities, which make an the potential mission is then audited against
for monthly operations is divided on a 50:50 initial request to the prefecture of the territory. the regulatory criteria, medical situation and
basis. A standard crew comprises two pilots, This is then forwarded to the Sala Situazioni technical aspects of the flight, before authority
a flight assistant and a Red Cross nurse – (Situation Cell) of the Comando Squadra Aerea to fly the mission is granted (or not), always
the latter a recently added element. All the (Air Squad Command), which notifies the through the Sala Situazioni of the Comando
nurses are qualified to perform their role Sala Operativa (Base Operations Centre) of Squadra Aerea, which activates the Stormo. In
thanks to a specialist aeromedical course the 31° Stormo. The pre-established readiness addition to the standard on-board equipment
provided ‘in-house’ by the 31° Stormo. period of two hours before take-off may seem (stretcher, oxygen and an electrical generator
Emergency aeromedical missions are divided excessive, but the unit must be apprised of all to power an incubator), a sanitary evacuation
into three categories: medical evacuation the information about the case, configure and (EVASAN) kit can also be incorporated in the
(medevac), hospital and humanitarian. The integrate the appropriate on-board equipment Falcon 900 EASY aircraft, and other medical
first case involves transporting a person and await the arrival of medical personnel. support equipment may also be integrated.

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