CONTACT US
CONTACT US

In An Emergency

When is a rescue by Helicopter indicated?

If you are in rough or inaccessible terrain:

The journey to the incident scene is too long for other rescue services

Access to or from the incident scene is difficult or impossible

You will need immediate medical assistance after:

– A fall from great height
– Multiple casualties
– Trapped persons
– Seriously injured / ill person
– Suspected back or head injuries
– Suspected heart attack or stroke
– Severe Burns, Bleeding
– Amputations, open fractures
– Difficulty in breathing, loss of consciousness
– Snake bite, animal attack
– Serious allergic reactions
– Any other medical emergencies

Dial "995"

Our short code Emergency Number is answered 24/7. Short code numbers cannot be dialed from outside the country, hence if you travel with an International Roaming or Satellite Phone, please dial the landline 00267 686 15 06, to be switched through to “995”.


What do you say, when you call 995?

Provide the following essential information:

Personal details of Patient:

  • Number of Patients
  • Patients full Name, Date of Birth and Nationality

Please note: If the Patient is not identified as a Patron we will not be able to fly! In which case contact the patient’s insurance company immediately.

If the patient is a Patron, please state:

  • The name of person making the call and contact phone number
  • Location of incidence with GPS coordinates if possible and weather conditions
  • Number of people around to help
  • If available Medical Insurance Telephone Number and Contract Number.

The operator will then connect you to a senior member of our team, who will assess the medical requirement for a Helicopter Rescue as follows:

Details of incidence/accident:

  • What happened when?

Condition of Patient:

  • How is the patient? (Awake, unconscious, talking, breathing, walking?)
  • What is the patient’s major problem?


According to the problem, you might give us more details

  • Colour and condition of the skin
  • Amount of Blood loss
  • Pulse rate
  • Blood pressure
  • Temperature
  • Breathing rate
  • Pain Score
  • Allergies
  • Current medication
  • Past medical History

If the Patient’s condition requires a rapid medical response, the Helicopter and its Team will be airborne as quickly as possible and the caller will be provided with an approximate arrival time.

Please note: the final decision to fly is at the discretion of the Senior Medical Staff. If a Patron insists on utilising our Services for a non-emergency situation, such as an urgently required HIV-Test for example, he/she would need to provide the full payment.

What do you do when the Helicopter arrives?

Landing site management:

  • Please confirm that there is an area of roughly 30 meters in diameter with no overhead obstructions like cables, power lines or trees where the helicopter can land.
  • Remove any loose objects lying around (clothes, backpacks, sunglasses etc.).
  • Once you hear the Helicopter approaching, leave the patient (if you are on your own) and go to the landing area which you must have identified beforehand and where the pilot can easily see you.
  • Kneel down and stay where you are when the Helicopter is approaching.
  • Maintain eye contact with the Pilot.
  • Do not approach the Helicopter until the rotor has come to a standstill or the Pilot has given you a sign!

Once on location we evaluate and stabilize the Patient.

Procedures, such as re-positioning fractures, simple dislocations or suturing minor wounds will be done with the Patient’s consent on location. Depending on the outcome, the Patient will be provided with all necessary medication and will either stay at the site, or be flown out for further examination and treatment.

If communication is possible, the first feedback is given to our Headquarters, to contact the Insurance to organize any further transport, examination and treatment, providing a quick and continuous medical service.

For Patients who have to be further medevac’d by plane, we provide a fully medical equipped Holding Facility at Maun International Airport where we take care of the Patient until the next medical Crew has arrived.

If no communication is possible and if medically indicated, the patient is flown back to civilisation immediately. The following procedures will be as described above.

If the Patron has no Insurance or if the Insurance refuses payment for further treatment, we will deliver the patient to the nearest Government Hospital.

Our Helicopter is a fully customized medically fitted Bell Jetranger 206 III and is based out of Maun International Airport, Botswana.

On a mobile basis we have all the Medications and Medical Equipment with us that a Patient would find in the emergency room of a General Hospital.

We can thus provide on location sufficient Pain Management, Stabilisation of Heart Insufficiency, manage acute life threatening emergencies like Myocardial Infarction and Stroke, support ventilation and give Oxygen in Respiratory Distress, prevent major side effects from Allergic Reactions, provide emergency treatment for severe diseases such as Malaria, Meningitis, Pneumonia, Abdominal and Urogenital Infections, as well as control Bleedings, Diabetes and Epilepsy, repositioning of Fractures and Dislocations under general intravenous Anaesthesia with continuous Monitoring of the Vital Signs (Pulse, Blood Pressure, ECG, Oxygen Saturation, Breathing Rate). The above is not exhaustive.

Our fully up to date medical Equipment includes a Cardiac Monitor and Defibrillator with Pacemaker, a 12, 5 or 3 lead ECG, SpO2, CO2 and non-invasive Blood Pressure Measurement, Infusion Pumps and Syringe Drivers, Suction Unit with backup, Oxygen, Ventilator, Suture Kits, Urine- and Nasogastric-Catheters, Pulmonary Drains with Drainage Sets, Standard Rescue and Immobilisation Equipment and a special Helicopter Vacuum Mattress as well as a Scoop Stretcher.

Even though we are in a remote area the range of our Emergency Medication consists of intravenous resuscitation applications like Adrenaline, Amniodarone, Antibiotics, Antihistamines, Anti-Nausea-Drugs, Atropine, Benzodiazepines, Beta-Blockers, Cortisone, Dopamine, Ephedrine, Furosemide, Insulin, Ketamine, Morphine, Muscle-Relaxants, Propofol, Salbutamol and Universal Snake Antivenin.

If a Patient does not have to be flown out we can supply the person with essential oral Pain Medication, Antibiotics, Antihistamines, Eye- Nose- and Ear-Drops, Heart-Medications, Prednisone as well as Wound Dressings, Bandages and Inhalers.

Quick Tests like Blood-Sugar Measurements, Urine-, Malaria-, HIV- and Pregnancy Tests can be done on the spot.