Safety

Emergency medical services next on the agenda as interest in helicopters grows

India's National Disaster Management Authority has ordered 12 Dhruv advanced light helicopters (ALH) that can be used for civil search and rescue (SAR) operations during natural disasters.

The Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) helicopters will have ventilators, stretchers and other medical equipment, says the company.

There has been a growing interest in India in setting up civil SAR operations to cope with natural disasters, especially since the December 2004 tsunami that led to around 18,000 deaths and left over 600,000 others homeless in the south of the country.

Helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) operations are also becoming more popular, with several major hospitals keen to launch them. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has not yet approved them, although it recently released guidelines related to the construction of helipads, noise pollution in built-up areas, and the installation of life-saving equipment.

HAL launched Vayu Vahan, a HEMS and air charter service, in Bangalore in 2006. This uses a Chetan-class helicopter designed to evacuate patients from areas around Bangalore to the main hospitals in the city. It also plans to use a Dhruv for such a service.

Industry sources say that India has potential for EMS operations due to its size and growing economic clout. However, the high cost would put it beyond a large portion of the population that still lives in relative poverty.