Government Flying Service (Hong Kong)

The Government Flying Service, or GFS, is a department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government. It is responsible for flight operations, maintenance and administration. One of its services is a casualty evacuation and air ambulance service.

Services

GFS runs a 24 hour air ambulance service. Flights are sent out after emergency calls from clinics across the territory. The service is known as casevac. A volunteer programme called the Air Medical Officer Support Programme puts doctors and nurses on board for specialist trauma and emergency treatment. This support covers Fridays to Mondays and public holidays.

Aircraft and bases

The casevac page speaks of helicopters but does not name types or numbers. GFS has its office at Hong Kong International Airport on Lantau.

Who it is for

The service covers all of Hong Kong. The site says helicopters can reach Hong Kong Island, Cheung Chau and Lantau within 20 minutes. Other places in the territory can be reached within 30 minutes. On average, helicopters fly about 1,500 casualties to hospital each year.

The casevac page also shows two photos of the service at work. GFS does more than air ambulance flights, and its about page gives its overall role as flight operations, maintenance and administration for the government. For general enquiries it lists an office phone line, a fax line, a postal address and email, and a separate email for unmanned aircraft questions.

Facts

• Part of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
• 335 civil service posts, as stated on its about page
• Air ambulance runs 24 hours a day
• Volunteer medical officers fly Fridays to Mondays and on public holidays