24
Save time, save lives
The world is under constant threat from natural disasters, terrorism and war. The ability to act quickly and effectively when disasters occur is essential in saving lives
Since the beginning of 2006 Sweden has an advanced mass casualty evacuation capability with its Swedish National Air Medevac System (SNAM). Using the SAS Advanced Medical Air Transport System (SAS AMAT System), Sweden has built a system ready to respond within 6 hours after being called upon using any Boeing 737-800 aircraft in the Scandinavian Airlines fleet. Whilst the aircraft is reconfigured to SNAM configuration, the medical crew of 19 flight doctors and flight nurses is briefed and prepared on the mission ahead together with the flight crew from Scandinavian Airlines. According to Håkan Österhed, Head of the Swedish Air Medevac Unit during the Tsunami response, the SNAM System took on a major role during the evacuation of more than 200 stretcher patients with civil airliners from Thailand to Scandinavia after the Tsunami. Although the SNAM system wasn’t fully operational at that time, lessons were learned used to fine tune the system. However, it was determined that the concept well delivered the requirements. For the Swedish Government it was key to have a flexible system that was developed and certified for providing advanced intensive-care capability in aircrafts and helicopters with no requirement for prior modifications to the aircraft. With the SAS AMAT System the conversion of the aircraft can be done in a very short time and together with the fact that there is no need for prior modifications to the aircraft, the government can use a chartered aircraft instead of having an aircraft on standby.
A lot of emphasis during development of the
SNAM System was put into designing and demonstrating an air worthy and patient safe environment for air transport of six intensive care patients, six stretcher patients and 23 walking wounded. The SAS AMAT System delivered the required documentation for a Supplementary Type Certificate (STC) and fulfils the requirements for smaller air ambulances, helicopters and road ambulances. The Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) of the SNAM System was required to enable transport between different treatment facilities without having to switch between different stretcher systems and risking disruption in the life sustaining treatment. This can be achieved as the MICU provides a self sustained system with oxygen and electric power for its advanced medical instruments when not drawing power and oxygen from external sources. The design of the MICU also makes it suitable as an advanced emergency medical treatment unit, in environments were this is required. The Swedish Government has, with its Swedish National Air Medevac (SNAM) system, established a cost effective solution for establishing a mass casualty evacuation capability. To work closely with the airline industry and the health care community proved a success. The SNAM System can be made available to other governments and international organisations but there is still a shortfall in medvac capability, identified amongst others by both NATO and EU, and the commercial availability of the SAS AMAT System opens this possibility for others.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182