Editing Emergency medical services (section)

===Air ambulances===
[[File:STARS_BK117_helicopter_Exterior.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A Canadian [[Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society|STARS]] helicopter ambulance. [[Air medical services|Air ambulances]] often have staff who are specially trained for dealing with [[major trauma]] cases.]]
{{See also|Air medical services}}
Air ambulances (also known as [[Medical evacuation|medevac]]) often complement a land ambulance service. In some remote areas, they may even form the primary ambulance service. Like many innovations in EMS, medical aircraft were first used in the military. One of the first recorded aircraft rescues of a casualty was in 1917 in [[Turkey]], when a soldier in the [[Imperial Camel Corps|Camel Corps]] who had been shot in the ankle was flown to hospital in a [[de Havilland DH9]].<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1136/jramc-132-01-08|title=The First Recorded Aeromedical Evacuation in the British Army – the True Story|journal=Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps|volume=132|pages=34–36|year=1986|last1=Dolev|first1=E.|issue=1|pmid=3517313|s2cid=25684014|doi-access=free}}</ref> In 1928, the first civilian air medical service was founded in [[Australia]] to provide healthcare to people living in remote parts of the [[Outback]]. This service became the [[Royal Flying Doctor Service]].<ref>[http://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/About-Us/Our-History/ "Royal Flying Doctor Service."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504193350/http://www.flyingdoctor.org.au/About-Us/Our-History |date=2010-05-04 }} ''flyingdoctor.net.''  Retrieved: 4 December 2010.</ref> The use of helicopters was pioneered in the [[Korean War]], when time to reach a medical facility was reduced from 8 hours to 3 hours in [[World War II]], and again to 2 hours by the [[Vietnam War]].<ref>Kay, Marcia Hillary. "[http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/commercial/eng/40-Years-Retrospective-Its-Been-a-Wild-Ride_14518.html 40 Years Retrospective: It's Been a Wild Ride]" ''Rotor & Wing'', August 2007. Accessed: 8 June 2014. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608203922/http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/commercial/eng/40-Years-Retrospective-Its-Been-a-Wild-Ride_14518.html |date=8 June 2014 }}.</ref>

Aircraft can travel faster and operate in a wider coverage area than a land ambulance. They have a particular advantage for [[major trauma]] injuries, especially when they occur in rural or isolated areas. The well-established theory of the [[golden hour (medicine)|golden hour]] suggests that major trauma patients should be transported as quickly as possible to a specialist [[trauma center]].<ref>{{cite book|author=American College of Surgeons|title=Atls, Advanced Trauma Life Support Program for Doctors|publisher=Amer College of Surgeons|year=2008|isbn=978-1880696316}}</ref><ref name=ITLS2018>{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=John|title=International Trauma Life Support for Emergency Care Providers|date=2018|publisher=Pearson|isbn=978-1292-17084-8|edition=8th Global|page=12}}</ref> Therefore, medical first responders in a helicopter can provide both a higher level of care at the scene, faster transport to a specialist hospital<ref name="pmid15928284">{{cite journal|vauthors=Branas CC, MacKenzie EJ, Williams JC, Schwab CW, Teter HM, Flanigan MC|title=Access to trauma centers in the United States.|journal=JAMA|year=2005|volume=293|issue=21|pages=2626–33|pmid=15928284|doi=10.1001/jama.293.21.2626|display-authors=etal|doi-access=free}}</ref> and critical care during the journey.<ref name="pmid7832345">{{cite journal|vauthors=Burney RE, Hubert D, Passini L, Maio R|title=Variation in air medical outcomes by crew composition: a two-year follow-up.|journal=Ann Emerg Med|year=1995|volume=25|issue=2|pages=187–92|pmid=7832345|doi=10.1016/s0196-0644(95)70322-5|doi-access=free}}</ref> A disadvantage is that it can be dangerous and potentially not possible for them to fly at night or in bad weather.<ref>Meier, B, Saul, S. Fatal crashes provoke debate on safety of sky ambulances. New York Times, 28 February 2005.</ref><ref>Levin, A, Davis, R. Surge in crashes scars air ambulance industry. USA Today, 18 July 2005.</ref>