Drill
Yesterday, the first emergency helicopter landing pad in Huairou District was put into use, and the 999 emergency helicopter conducted a mountain rescue drill involving air-to-ground coordination. This year, the Beijing Red Cross 999 Emergency Center will also build 20 more landing pads, initially forming a citywide medical air emergency rescue network.
At 11:30 am yesterday, a 999 emergency helicopter landed at a golf course in Beizhai Village, Huairou District, and a mountain rescue drill involving air-to-ground coordination immediately commenced. Earlier, 999 received a distress call reporting that a “female tourist” had fallen and injured herself while hiking near Beizhai Village. The “patient” sustained serious injuries, and due to the complex terrain of the incident site, an ambulance was unable to reach her quickly. The 999 Emergency Center decided to initiate an air rescue: first using the emergency helicopter to transfer the “patient” to a landing pad at a nearby golf course, and then transporting her to the hospital by ambulance.
Upon receiving the instructions, Wei Yanfang, an air medical rescue expert from 999, boarded the 999 emergency helicopter stationed at Badaling Airport, carrying professional air medical emergency equipment and medications. The helicopter took off immediately and soon arrived at the rescue scene in Beizhai Village. By the time the helicopter reached the site, Red Cross volunteers had already provided initial bandaging for the “patient.” Wei Yanfang promptly carried out professional stabilization of fractures, neck support, and head bandaging for the “patient,” after which she was lifted onto the helicopter. Twenty minutes later, the “patient” was transported by the helicopter to a landing pad at a golf club in Beizhai Village, Qiaozhi Town, Huairou District. A 999 ambulance was already on standby there, and upon receiving the “patient,” the emergency vehicle quickly rushed to the nearest hospital.
The landing pad just used for the “patient” transfer is the first one built by the 999 Emergency Center at a golf course. It is intended to ensure air emergency rescue coverage for the northeastern mountainous areas including Huairou, Miyun, Changping, and Shunyi, reducing emergency response times. Previously, 999 had already established four landing pads at the 999 Emergency Center, Daxing Yizhuang, the Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan Expressway, and Badaling.
Air rescue operations by the 999 helicopter in the city began in 2011. Over the past two years, fixed-wing aircraft have completed over 100 transports, and helicopters have carried out two transport missions. Earlier this year, 999 set up an emergency station at Badaling Airport dedicated to helicopter air rescue tasks.
According to reports, by the end of this year, 999 will have built 20 landing pads, initially forming a citywide medical air emergency rescue network. Future new landing pads will mainly be located at golf courses and school playgrounds. In the future, when critically ill patients are unable to be reached by ambulances, helicopters can be dispatched to first transfer the patients to the nearest landing pad or even a rooftop landing pad at a hospital, after which ambulances and medical personnel will take the patients to the hospital.