IMDH MUG Helicopter West Flanders

IMDH vzw (Instituut Medische Dringende Hulpverlening) is a Belgian non profit in Bruges. Besides emergency medical training, it keeps the MUG-Heli emergency helicopter in service. This is a hospital based emergency helicopter programme, not a private air ambulance.

Services

MUG-Heli brings emergency medical help to people by helicopter. It is called out through the general emergency number. The site says the helicopter flies up to about 950 missions a year. IMDH also gives resuscitation and first aid courses and provides medical teams on standby at large events.

Base and coverage area

The helicopter is based at AZ Sint-Jan hospital in Bruges. It flies seven days a week between sunrise and sunset. The site says it can reach any point in West Flanders, much of East Flanders and Zeeland in the Netherlands in about 15 minutes. The page does not name the helicopter model.

Funding

The site says the service costs about 850,000 euros a year. The Province of West Flanders pays most of it. Sponsors and gifts from the public cover the rest.

Why it matters

The site says the helicopter can reach any point in West Flanders and much of the surrounding area in about fifteen minutes. IMDH is also active in training, so its work covers both helping patients in the field and teaching the public and professionals how to give first help.

Facts

• Type: non profit emergency helicopter programme
• Base: AZ Sint-Jan hospital, Bruges
• Hours: daylight, seven days a week
• Run by: IMDH vzw