Ambulance in the sky saves lives in Istanbul
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 26, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Ambulance helicopters in Istanbul have carried seven patients since they began operating last week.
Head doctor of Istanbul 112 City Ambulance Service Metin Arslan said many patients had been transported to hospitals in Istanbul from different areas. A few days ago Mehmet Sağıroğlu, 25, who was being treated at a state hospital in Silivri, a town west of Istanbul, after having a heart attack was airlifted to Kartal Koşuyolu Yüksek İhtisas Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi. Muazzez Işın, who suffered from heart failure at age 91, was taken to Private Doğan Hospital from Tekirdağ, a seaside city near Istanbul.
A 5-year-old girl was also transported to a hospital in Istanbul after being injured in a traffic accident in Düzce, a province between the cities of Ankara and Istanbul.
Arslan said with the air ambulance service they were trying to reach those in need in the shortest amount of time and to carry them to hospitals where they would get the best treatment.
Noting that the air ambulance service does not only consist of carrying patients from one hospital to another, Arslan said, "We make the decision on the hospital after we confirm the available beds and the number of hospital staff."
"Carrying a patient takes more time with ambulances operating overland in Istanbul. If there is more demand, the service may grow and we may operate more air ambulances," said Arslan.
There are four air ambulances currently active in Turkey. There are plans to expand the aerial ambulance services with three ambulance planes and an additional 17 more helicopters to serve various cities and rural areas. The new helicopters will be able to transport patients 300 kilometers without stopping for fuel.
A 5-year-old girl was also transported to a hospital in Istanbul after being injured in a traffic accident in Düzce, a province between the cities of Ankara and Istanbul.
Arslan said with the air ambulance service they were trying to reach those in need in the shortest amount of time and to carry them to hospitals where they would get the best treatment.
Noting that the air ambulance service does not only consist of carrying patients from one hospital to another, Arslan said, "We make the decision on the hospital after we confirm the available beds and the number of hospital staff."
"Carrying a patient takes more time with ambulances operating overland in Istanbul. If there is more demand, the service may grow and we may operate more air ambulances," said Arslan.
There are four air ambulances currently active in Turkey. There are plans to expand the aerial ambulance services with three ambulance planes and an additional 17 more helicopters to serve various cities and rural areas. The new helicopters will be able to transport patients 300 kilometers without stopping for fuel.