Time and tide wait for no one, as we all know too well, and in the field of emergency medicine no truer words have been spoken; every single minute is vital and often, even a matter of seconds can mean the difference between a person being saved and the devastation of a life cut short.

Medical emergencies are a race against time

Being up against the clock is routine for Medevac teams.  High-speed evacuation, safe transportation and medical expertise are areas in which these highly trained and compassionate professionals excel.  Not only do they have to locate and access injured or sick individuals in remote or difficult to reach landing sites, they also need to stabilize them, providing quality emergency care from the first instant that they come into contact, often many miles away from the nearest hospital.  It’s also true however, that Medevac is called upon in places that are much closer to towns or cities unable to be reached by emergency vehicles.  Medevac is even used to transfer patients swiftly between facilities so they can receive specialist care.

Helicopters provide a crucial point to point service

In the US alone, it’s estimated that each year, there are 400,000 Medevac rotor wing transports and another 150,000 fixed wing flights.  Moreover, as a result of 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic never has Medevac proved more crucial.  Even in normal circumstances, Medevac is the only access that many people living in rural communities have to emergency medicine.  Due to the high risk of contagion in the face of Corona Virus outbreaks, patients cannot travel on scheduled flights.  Consequently, the best way of getting them to medical treatment and taking the risk of spreading the virus away from local communities and overburdened, health facilities, is by air ambulance.

Medivac is built on teamwork

To be part of a Medevac team, one thing is fundamental; no matter what your role or position, you must demonstrate unrivalled teamwork and dedication.  Ground crew, pilots, medical personnel and staff committed to maintaining equipment and supplies – each one of them is only as strong as the sum of their parts.

Medivac Fleets

The same goes for Medevac fleets; it is imperative that aircraft – whether rotor blade or fixed wing – are airworthy and ready to go at a moment’s notice, day or night.  They must also be able to have a swift turnaround with the minimum of fuss, meeting the highest of safety standards.  Some Medevac companies have up to one hundred aircraft covering regions that are not only isolated, but also widespread.  Fleets can be pretty diverse and having a wide variety of aircraft all ready to take off at a moment’s notice is a necessity.  No two emergency evacuations are the same, one may require a fast long-distance transfer, the next a floatplane.  Some evacuations may even require a number of different aircraft.

Each member of a Medevac team should have peace of mind when carrying out their role, whether it’s landing at night in a tiny clearing or delivering emergency treatment prior to reaching a trauma center.  They need to be secure in the knowledge that their aircraft’s flight operations and safety precautions are second to none.

Service you can rely on

Nothing can be more reassuring when you’re in an emergency situation than hearing the sound of an approaching helicopter and knowing that, on board, there is equipment similar to that which you’d find in a modern intensive care ward.  But it stands to reason that when you hold someone’s life in your hands, it’s not enough to rest on your laurels.  Through rigorous, intense training, Medevac medical personnel will be prepared for every possible eventuality and the same applies to their air and maintenance crews.  An outstanding Medevac organization will also invest heavily in risk analysis and mitigation.  Part of that mitigation is ensuring that they have a portable ground power unit (GPU) on board each of their aircraft.

Portable Aircraft GPUs
on-board

START PACs portable, lightweight GPUs have been specifically designed to ensure that a helicopter or fixed wing aircraft never has to experience downtime again.  Downtime is something that, ideally, no pilot wants, but in the case of a Medevac pilot it can often be the difference between life and death.  Compact, sturdy and most importantly, reliable, START PAC’s little blue units will ensure that Medevac teams can concentrate on outstanding patient care and aircrew can get on with the high speed execution of their flight, not an aircraft engine unable to start.

Our GPUs can jump start all small to medium size turbine engine aircraft, even those that are voltage sensitive.  Time and time again, they have been put through their paces proving their worth in the harshest of environments, whether that’s the deserts of Nevada or the Arctic glaciers of Alaska.  With a GPU on board, aircrew have the means to ensure beyond any doubt that they’ll always be ready to leave to deal with an emergency situation and then fly swiftly back from a pick up zone.  They know with absolute certainty that they will never be stuck on base because of a faulty battery or a maintenance failing.  At the flick of a switch, they are guaranteed immediate, clean, long lasting power.

Power supplies and battery packs

START PAC has also developed a range of power supplies to meet every conceivable maintenance requirement.  Our power supplies have been specifically designed to enable technicians and mechanics to run regular check ups and updates on their aircraft without depleting the aircraft’s precious on board battery (please note that if you’re running maintenance checks, our advice is that you plug the supply into the wall and not run it off its batteries).  This makes sense not only in terms of maintaining an aircraft diligently and carefully, but also financially as the need to replace the aircraft’s battery more frequently than necessary is negated.  Moreover, many of our battery packs are capable of starting multiple aircraft multiple times before they need to be recharged.  No ramp?  No problem, these units also come with handy trolleys that can be wheeled right up to the aircraft.  START PAC designed them deliberately so they would be hassle free and easy to use and what’s more, they’re uncomplicated, no training required.

Every minute counts

When every minute counts, emergency medical transport is often the only option when it comes to saving a life.  START PAC is the only option when it comes to securing engine starts.  We are proud to be the suppliers of ground power units and battery packs to Medevac organizations across the nation.  If you would like more information on how we can help your company be prepared for mission critical projects and the ways in which our products can support you at your home base or out in the field, contact us directly.  One of our team will be happy to discuss a solution tailor made for you – a solution which always keeps the needs of those you serve right at the very forefront of everything you do.