Centre Médical Héliporté (CMH)

Centre Médical Héliporté, known as CMH, is a Belgian emergency helicopter service. It is based in Bra-sur-Lienne and run by the non-profit Centre Médical Héliporté asbl. It brings a medical and resuscitation team to patients by air.

Services

CMH works 24 hours a day, every day. It is sent out through the 112 emergency number, mainly in areas that no SMUR unit serves. The site says the aim is to give rural patients the same fast help as city patients. The base is placed where the provinces of Liège, Luxembourg and Namur meet.

Aircraft and bases

CMH flies from one base, at Bierleux in Bra-sur-Lienne. Its current helicopter is an Airbus H145 D3, which entered service in 2021. The site says it was a first in Europe. Earlier aircraft were a Sikorsky S-76, a Dauphin N2 and an EC145 C2.

Who it is for

CMH serves people in eastern Belgium who need emergency medical care by helicopter. It takes no urgent calls directly. The site says to call 112 in an emergency.

CMH says it relies on citizens who become members. The yearly fee is 35 euro for one person and 57 euro for a family. More than 30 municipalities in the provinces of Liège and Luxembourg also give financial support. Gifts of 40 euro or more in a year can be deducted from tax, up to 30 percent of the amount.

Facts

• Founded in December 1986 in Bra-sur-Lienne by Dr Luc Maquoi
• It started with an ambulance before it flew helicopters
• It receives no state subsidy and is funded mostly by member subscriptions and donations
• Run by a non-profit association