Norwegian Air Ambulance
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Air Ambulance is the air ambulance
service in Norway organised through the government owned limited company Luftambulansetjenesten (Air Ambulance Service). The service provides helicopter
emergency medical service (HEMS) and fixed wing air ambulance operations.
Dedicated planes are provided at six airport
s, and helicopters at 11 hospital
s. In addition the service depends on the state Search and rescue
helicopters for a full national coverage. The fixed-wing aircraft and HEMS helicopters are operated by the private companies Lufttransport
and Norsk Luftambulanse
on contract for the Air Ambulance Service. The rescue helicopters are operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force
330 squadron
Sea King
helicopters. The helicopters were purchased by the ministry of justice while they were to be operated by the Air Force.
In 1973 the Norwegian government started looking at possible ways to organise an air ambulance service in Norway. Before the government had made a decision, the foundation Norsk Luftambulanse had been founded in 1977 and provided one helicopter from its base at Lørenskog
. In 1983 the government started buying services from the foundation, and in 1988 a nationwide air ambulance service was started where the government bought services from private companies.
By 1993 three companies had established themselves on the domestic air ambulance marked in Norway: Norsk Luftambulanse, Airlift and Lufttransport. In 2002 Norsk Luftambulanse bought the air ambulance operation from Airlift, and merged the operations. In April 2006 the Air Ambulance Service has extended its contracts with Norsk Luftambulanse and Lufttransport until 2014.
while Norsk Luftambulanse operates a total of 13 Eurocopter EC 135 P2
and Eurocopter EC 145 for the service.
Helicopters are stationed at the hospitals in Arendal
, Bergen, Brønnøysund
, Dombås
, Førde
, Lørenskog
, Stavanger
, Tromsø
, Trondheim
, Ål
and Ålesund
. The helicopters must be airborne within 15 minutes.
aircraft. The airplanes are stationed at Alta Airport
, Bodø Airport
, Kirkenes Airport, Høybuktmoen
, Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
, Tromsø Airport and Ålesund Airport, Vigra
.
The Air Force 330 squadron has its headquarters at Sola Air Station
outside Stavanger
. The squadron operates out of four military airports: Sola Air Station
, Ørland Main Air Station
, Bodø Main Air Station
, Banak Air Station
and Rygge Air Station
. A detachment is located at the civilian airport in Florø
.
The squadron operates 12 Sea King helicopters and had 1 038 operations in 2005. At any given time the 330 squadron has six helicopters on 15 minutes readiness, one at each station. The helicopters are under command of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Southern Norway
located at Sola
which is responsible for Southern Norway (Rygge, Sola, Florø and Ørland) and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway
located at Bodø
which is responsible for Northern Norway (Bodø and Banak). The primary function is search and rescue
(SAR) but several hundred air ambulance missions are undertaken each year.
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
service in Norway organised through the government owned limited company Luftambulansetjenesten (Air Ambulance Service). The service provides helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
emergency medical service (HEMS) and fixed wing air ambulance operations.
Dedicated planes are provided at six airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s, and helicopters at 11 hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s. In addition the service depends on the state Search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
helicopters for a full national coverage. The fixed-wing aircraft and HEMS helicopters are operated by the private companies Lufttransport
Lufttransport
Lufttransport is a Norwegian helicopter and fixed-wing airline that operates primarily air ambulance helicopters and planes for the Norwegian and Swedish governments...
and Norsk Luftambulanse
Norsk Luftambulanse
Stiftelsen Norsk Luftambulanse is a Norwegian non-profit foundation that promotes and implements measures to provide emergency medical assistance...
on contract for the Air Ambulance Service. The rescue helicopters are operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
330 squadron
History
Air ambulance services in Norway have been operated by private companies and the military since the 1920s, but the first dedicated service came in 1972 when the Air Force 330 squadron was equipped with WestlandWestland Helicopters
Westland Helicopters was a British aerospace company. Originally Westland Aircraft, the company focused on helicopters after the Second World War. It merged with several other British firms in 1961...
Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
helicopters. The helicopters were purchased by the ministry of justice while they were to be operated by the Air Force.
In 1973 the Norwegian government started looking at possible ways to organise an air ambulance service in Norway. Before the government had made a decision, the foundation Norsk Luftambulanse had been founded in 1977 and provided one helicopter from its base at Lørenskog
Lørenskog
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lørenskog. Lørenskog was separated from the municipality of Skedsmo on 1 January 1908.-Name:...
. In 1983 the government started buying services from the foundation, and in 1988 a nationwide air ambulance service was started where the government bought services from private companies.
By 1993 three companies had established themselves on the domestic air ambulance marked in Norway: Norsk Luftambulanse, Airlift and Lufttransport. In 2002 Norsk Luftambulanse bought the air ambulance operation from Airlift, and merged the operations. In April 2006 the Air Ambulance Service has extended its contracts with Norsk Luftambulanse and Lufttransport until 2014.
Helicopter emergency medical service
The helicopter ambulances are located on heliports at 11 hospitals around the country. The helicopters are operated by the private companies Lufttransport and Norsk Luftambulanse. Lufttransport operates a total of four AgustaWestland AW139AgustaWestland AW139
The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engined helicopter manufactured by AgustaWestland. Originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, it was redesignated the AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project...
while Norsk Luftambulanse operates a total of 13 Eurocopter EC 135 P2
Eurocopter EC 135
The Eurocopter EC135 is a twin-engine civil helicopter produced by Eurocopter, widely used amongst police and ambulance services and for executive transport. It is capable of flight under instrument flight rules .-Development:...
and Eurocopter EC 145 for the service.
Helicopters are stationed at the hospitals in Arendal
Arendal
is a town and municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. Arendal belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet.The town of Arendal is the administrative center the municipality and also of Aust-Agder county...
, Bergen, Brønnøysund
Brønnøysund
is a town and the administrative centre of the municipality of Brønnøy, Norway. It is also a former municipality in Nordland county. The village of Brønnøysund received town status in 2000. The city lies along the coast and is often called "the coastal town in the middle of Norway." Brønnøysund...
, Dombås
Dombås
The village of lies in the Dovre municipality and serves as an administrative center in the upper Gudbrandsdal, Norway. It lies at an important junction of roads: south leading to the current capital of Norway, Oslo, west via Lesja leading to Åndalsnes on the sea and north to the old capital,...
, Førde
Førde
Førde is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center is the town of Førde which in 2010 had 12,035 inhabitants. The historic village of Bruland is located just east of the town of Førde...
, Lørenskog
Lørenskog
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lørenskog. Lørenskog was separated from the municipality of Skedsmo on 1 January 1908.-Name:...
, Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
, Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Ål
Ål
Ål is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ål....
and Ålesund
Ålesund
is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sunnmøre, and the center of the Ålesund Region. It is a sea port, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau architecture....
. The helicopters must be airborne within 15 minutes.
Fixed wing ambulances
Plane ambulances are stationed at six airports in Norway. The service is provided by Lufttransport with 12 Beech King Air B200Beechcraft Super King Air
The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
aircraft. The airplanes are stationed at Alta Airport
Alta Airport
Alta Airport is the airport of Alta, Norway. It is located about northeast of the town center of Alta, near the community Elvebakken on the southern shore of the Altafjord. The airport has a single paved runway. The government-owned Avinor is responsible for operations...
, Bodø Airport
Bodø Airport
Bodø Airport is civil airport in Bodø, Norway. Located just south of the city centre, on the westernmost tip of the peninsula Bodø lies on, it shares facilities with the military air force base Bodø Main Air Station. The airport has a single concrete, runway which runs in a roughly east-west...
, Kirkenes Airport, Høybuktmoen
Kirkenes Airport, Høybuktmoen
Kirkenes Airport, Høybuktmoen is the airport serving Kirkenes in eastern Finnmark, Norway. Høybuktmoen is located west of Kirkenes, at the base of a peninsula jutting into Varangerfjord...
, Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
, Tromsø Airport and Ålesund Airport, Vigra
Ålesund Airport, Vigra
Ålesund Airport, Vigra is an airport which serves the city of Ålesund in Norway and the surrounding regions Sunnmøre, Nordfjord and Romsdal. The airport is located on the island of Vigra in the Giske municipality, northeast of Ålesund city centre and easily accessible through underseas tunnels...
.
Search and rescue helicopters
Sola Air Station
Sola Air Station in Sola municipality in Norway is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Air Wing 134 is stationed at Sola along with helicopter Squadron 330....
outside Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
. The squadron operates out of four military airports: Sola Air Station
Sola Air Station
Sola Air Station in Sola municipality in Norway is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Air Wing 134 is stationed at Sola along with helicopter Squadron 330....
, Ørland Main Air Station
Ørland Main Air Station
Ørland Main Air Station is situated at the mouth of the Trondheimsfjord in the municipality of Ørland, in the center of Norway. Ørland is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force and is an important air base not only for Norway, but also for NATO...
, Bodø Main Air Station
Bodø Main Air Station
Bodø Main Air Station Bodø Main Air Station Bodø Main Air Station (Norwegian: Bodø hovedflystasjon is situated just outside Bodø, Norway and is the largest air station in Norway, operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. The air station is home to the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons of...
, Banak Air Station
Banak Air Station
Station Group Banak , formerly Banak Air Station, is located in Porsanger in Finnmark, Norway. It is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, which has two Westland Sea King helicopters that are used for search and rescue operations, mostly over the Barents Sea. The station group is co-located...
and Rygge Air Station
Rygge Air Station
Rygge Air Station is located in the municipalities of Rygge and Råde in Østfold, Norway. The Royal Norwegian Air Force operates various squadron and aircraft at the airbase, including Sea King helicopters, F-5 Freedom Fighters, Dassault Falcon 20 aircraft as well as Bell 412 helicopters...
. A detachment is located at the civilian airport in Florø
Florø
is a town and the administrative centre of Flora municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is also a former municipality that existed for just over 100 years. The town was founded on the Florelandet island between the Botnafjorden and Solheimsfjorden by royal decree in 1860. In...
.
The squadron operates 12 Sea King helicopters and had 1 038 operations in 2005. At any given time the 330 squadron has six helicopters on 15 minutes readiness, one at each station. The helicopters are under command of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Southern Norway
Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Southern Norway
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Southern Norway or JRCC SN is a rescue coordination centre located in Sola responsible for coordinating search and rescue operations in the southern part of Norway; it is responsible for coordinating search and rescue operations within Norway's Search and...
located at Sola
Sola
Sola is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is part of the region of Jæren. The old municipality of Håland was divided into Sola and Madla in 1930....
which is responsible for Southern Norway (Rygge, Sola, Florø and Ørland) and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway
Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre of Northern Norway or JRCC NN is a rescue coordination centre located in Bodø responsible for coordinating search and rescue operations in the northern part of Norway; it is responsible for coordinating search and rescue operations within Norway's Search and...
located at Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
which is responsible for Northern Norway (Bodø and Banak). The primary function is search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
(SAR) but several hundred air ambulance missions are undertaken each year.
External links
- 330 Squadron Website (in Norwegian)
- Air Ambulance Service (in Norwegian)