An emergency air rescue drill by No 1 Hospital of Shanxi Medical University and Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation Co was conducted in Taiyuan on Dec 18, filling Shanxi's gap in air rescue services.

Emergency air rescue, superior in efficiency and flexibility, is the most effective rescue method and is widely used in developed countries. The service is still in its infancy in China, with only big cities like Beijing and Shanghai introducing the service.

The air medical rescue service has seamlessly connected helicopters, ambulances and the first aid green channel of No 1 Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, transferring emergency patients who cannot be timely transported to the hospital because of traffic and distance, according to Wang Binquan, director of the hospital.

The 13-meter-long helicopter used for the drill, which can carry around eight people, including medical staff and patients, is an AW119 manufactured in Italy. It is equipped with medical facilities such as a defibrillator, to facilitate the work of medical staff conducting real-time monitoring or emergency treatment of patients during the transfer to hospital.

By supplementing the ambulances and saving lives in places where they are unable to reach, the air ambulance of Kingwing will provide fast long-distance transportation for the severely ill in Taiyuan and nearby regions, within a radius of 150 kilometers.

An emergency helicopter of Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation Co lands on the rooftop of No 1 Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, during an emergency air rescue drill in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, Dec 18. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

The emergency helicopter, manufactured by Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation Co, is equipped with medical facilities such as a defibrillator, to help medical staff at No 1 Hospital of Shanxi Medical University carry out monitoring and emergency treatment during the transfer of patients. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]