[WATCH] ER24 launches new emergency helicopter
"South Africa has a critical shortage of medical helicopters, with only a few deployed nationally."
ER24 and OnePlan Health Insurance took to Gauteng’s skies in their brand new medical helicopter on Thursday, 16 March.
“South Africa has a critical shortage of medical helicopters, with only a few deployed nationally,” said Ben Johnson, CEO of ER24.
“There are numerous requests for air evacuations every day, and we are proud to add to local capacity and deliver this vital service with the new OnePlan ER24 helicopter.”
The emergency helicopter will be used when ground crews require specialised equipment or expertise, or where vehicles cannot reach the patient. The service was officially launched at Casalinga in Muldersdrift, and will provide specialised emergency care to evacuate patients that meet the flight criteria.
Photo: Screenshot of official video
Key industry roleplayers and various stakeholders, such as Flightshare, Ford, and Base 4 Aviation attended the launch. This essential service will be based at Grand Central Airport in Midrand. OnePlan Health Insurance provides affordable healthcare to many South Africans who cannot afford medical aid. OnePlan and ER24 both make the lives of South Africans their number one priority and have joined forces to provide individuals with affordable accident cover.
The Air Angels product supplements the normal operations of the emergency medical helicopter. Air Angels is an insurance product created by OnePlan Health Insurance to ensure that South Africans are covered while travelling to their desired destinations. Flightshare, in a joint venture with Base 4 Aviation and ER24, will be rolling out additional aeromedical services over the next 18 months.
“We provide South Africans with affordable health cover, and this initiative is a logical extension, covering those least-expected situations,” said Jonathan Killik, chairperson of OnePlan Health Insurance.
Ford South Africa also sponsored five Kugas as rapid response and operational vehicles for the newly launched helicopter service in Gauteng.
Photo: Screenshot of official video
“The fleet of rapid response vehicles is crucial to the operation of the helicopter emergency medical service, as the ground-crews are responsible for ensuring rapid delivery of support staff and effective control of emergency landing zones at the scene of accidents and at high-risk sporting events, providing the aircrews with the efficient logistical management they need to operate safely,” said Killik.
Watch the official launch video here:
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