SA RED CROSS AIR MERCY SERVICES CHANGING LIVES! SAVING LIVES!

Outreach Crew Specialists from Kimberley Hospital Complex, including anaesthetists, orthopaedic surgeons, surgeons, physicians, a psychiatrist, an oncologist and a haematologist visit several rural hospitals such as Calvinia, De Aar, Springbok, Kuruman, Jan Kempdorp and Upington on a regular basis. Other services include dentistry, optometry, laboratory and rehabilitative services.

Successful weeklong cataract tours take place each year to Upington, Warrenton, Prieska and De Aar, with the help of ophthalmologists from Tygerberg Academic Hospital/University of Stellenbosch. Monthly ophthalmology clinics are held in Barkly-west.



Patient Transport Service Between April 2005 and February 2006, 4 858 patients, together with 698 escorts (parents or caregivers) were transported from rural areas to Kimberley and back home. Patients from places like Alexander Bay, Khubus, Garies, Pofadder, Sutherland, Calvinia (600-1100 km) are the new 'highflyers'. Travel time is decreased from 8 - 10 hours by road one way to 1,5 to 2 hours by air. Benefits are that patients stay 1-2 days in Kimberley instead of waiting 5-6 days for transport. Patients, especially babies, children and the elderly, are not so tired after the long travel and breadwinners can return to work. As from April 2005 to end February 2006, 7178 boxes with medicine and other supplies were transported to Springbok and Calvinia areas. Outreach Service Specialists including paediatricians, physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, surgeons, anaesthetists, oncologists, a maxillo-facial surgeon and psychiatrists treated 1000 patients at clinics in Calvinia, Springbok, Upington, De Aar, Kuruman and Jan Kempdorp. Ophthalmology services continued in Barkly-west, De Aar, Upington, Calvinia, Prieska and Postmasburg. Thank you to all our specialists for your ongoing dedication, support and services.

Medical Emergency Service

The AMS Flight and Medical Crew work together as an integrated, multidisciplinary unit, providing emergency medical care and air transport to severely injured and ill patients.
The Flight Crew includes: Pilots Ensures the aircraft is always ready for immediate response. Flies the aircraft and maintaining ATC (Air Traffic Control) communication. Plans the mission to ensure success and safety of operation, especially IFR (Instrument Flight Rated) and off-shore operations. Constant assessment of weather and flight conditions to determine the best option to achieve mission. Overall responsibility for safety of operations during a mission. Maintains all flight documentation.
Medical Crew Primary crew member (Team leader with Advanced Life Support and Flight Medical Attendant training) Assumes responsibility for the aviation/medical interface on the mission. Ensures that all equipment for that specific patient is packed and checked for optimal functioning. Ensures that the aircraft medical systems (oxygen, suction, electrical supply, etc) are checked for optimal functioning. Ensures that the flight co-ordinator is kept up-to-date throughout the mission via support services, eg. METRO. Ensures that all equipment for that specific patient is packed and checked for optimal functioning. Ensures correct documenting of scheduled drugs and submission of adequate patient documentation (even if patient is only assessed and not transported). Assists the service co-ordinator after the flight with restocking and cleaning of the aircraft so that it is serviceable for the next response.

Secondary crew member *(Paramedic, Doctor, Nurse, Emergency Care Practitioner, Basic and Intermediate)* Medical flight crews must have acceptable qualifications, experience, current orientation and safety briefing. All medical flight crew must have good understanding of the meaning of the Red Cross emblem and its uses. To assist a referring facility such as a small rural hospital with limited resources with triage, resuscitation and specialist medical assistance when required, for eg. triage or resuscitation of mass casualties. The safe and professional retrieval, assessment, flight preparation, transportation and delivery of patients requiring medical transportation to specialised or other medical facilities. To assist with the safe transportation of any additional passengers. To assist with in-flight emergencies and management.