SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service

The SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service Trust, known as AMS, is a charity that provides aeromedical services in South Africa. It has operated since 1966. The Red Cross Society founded the service, and it became an independent trust in 1994.

The AMS describes itself as the only aeromedical operator in Southern Africa that offers a complete package of air ambulance, health outreach, and rescue services. It uses a mix of fixed wing and rotor wing aircraft and ground vehicles. Volunteers, professionals, and partners work together on the service.

The air ambulance service provides 24 hour advanced life support by fixed wing aircraft and helicopter. The National Operations Centre runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It gives one point of access to aeromedical services across the country. It also coordinates the medical, rescue, and aviation logistics.

The fleet includes Pilatus PC-12 fixed wing aircraft. These are pressurised single turbine planes with a custom intensive care style interior. They seat up to three stretcher patients and are suited to short landings on strips. The fleet also includes AgustaWestland 119Ke and 119Kx helicopters. The Kx model is set up for night vision goggle flying.

The AMS introduced night vision goggles into its helicopter air ambulance service. This gives access to rural hospitals and clinics that were hard to reach at night. The AMS is licensed by the South African Civil Aviation Authority for air ambulance and charter operations.

The rescue service provides air-sea and air-mountain rescue by helicopter. It works with Surf Life Saving South Africa and the National Sea Rescue Institute. The AMS also trains hoist operators, and its training focuses on safety and efficiency.

Rural health outreach flies specialists, many of them volunteers, and support staff to outlying hospitals. The outreach helps district and secondary hospitals and trains local and medical staff. In KwaZulu-Natal, ground support units reach areas that aircraft cannot easily access.

Bases are in the Western Cape, at Cape Town and Oudtshoorn. The service also has bases in KwaZulu-Natal at Durban, and in the Eastern Cape at East London, Gqeberha, and Mthatha. Supporting infrastructure is in the Northern Cape and the Free State.

Services

• Air ambulance
• Rescue by helicopter
• Rural health outreach
• National Operations Centre
• Training
• Ground support units