'Doctor Helicopter' Also Takes Off in Seoul... First Introduction of Emergency Transport Firefighting Helicopter

Fire Suppression, Search Operations, and On-Site Emergency Surgery Capabilities

'Flying Emergency Room' Doctor Helicopter.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government will operate a firefighting helicopter equipped with medical equipment at the same level as the emergency medical-only "Doctor Helicopter," also known as the "Sky Emergency Room," for the first time.

The Seoul Fire Aviation Unit announced on the 8th that it has upgraded the multifunctional medium-to-large firefighting helicopter (Unit 3) currently in operation by newly installing "chemical and cardiac enzyme testing equipment," elevating it to Doctor Helicopter level and commencing its operation.

The Doctor Helicopter is a helicopter that carries medical personnel and is used exclusively for patients requiring rapid emergency treatment and transport. According to the Emergency Medical Service Act, it must be equipped with 12 types of medical devices and 15 types of emergency medicines.

Seoul currently operates a total of three multifunctional firefighting helicopters for the purpose of life rescue and disaster response, but there have been criticisms that they are insufficient for emergency patient transport due to lack of internal space and failure to meet emergency medical equipment standards.

The newly upgraded firefighting helicopter will serve as an all-weather firefighting helicopter deployed to various scenes such as life rescue, search activities, and fire suppression, as well as functioning as a Doctor Helicopter capable of carrying medical personnel and performing emergency surgery during transport when emergency patients occur.

This is the first time that a firefighting helicopter meeting Doctor Helicopter standards is operated in Seoul. Domestic Doctor Helicopters have been introduced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare since 2011, and currently, seven units are operated nationwide.

The city plans to enhance initial response capabilities for severe trauma patients such as those from traffic accidents by operating multifunctional firefighting helicopters equipped with Doctor Helicopter functions, thereby more thoroughly protecting the lives and safety of citizens.

In addition, following the Unit 3 firefighting helicopter, the city plans to replace Unit 1, which has been in service for over 20 years, with a new firefighting helicopter equipped with Doctor Helicopter functions by 2023.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Fire Aviation Unit has responded to an average of over 220 dispatches annually over the past three years, rescuing and transporting about 190 patients per year to hospitals via firefighting helicopters. The rate of direct transport to hospitals after emergency treatment inside the helicopter increased by 11.3 percentage points from 17% in 2018 to 28.3% in 2019, while the rate of handing over patients requiring emergency treatment to the 119 ambulance team after helicopter rescue decreased from 83% to 71.7% during the same period.

Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul, said, "Through Seoul's 'Sky Emergency Room Firefighting Helicopter,' we will expand the safety net for Seoul citizens from the ground to the sky and protect the lives and safety of citizens more thoroughly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.