Discover the real process behind every air ambulance mission. Learn how Lifewings coordinates rapid response, medical care, and life-saving flights across India.
When every second counts, air ambulances become the lifeline between a life-threatening emergency and survival. But what really happens behind the curtain of a successful air ambulance mission? How does a patient get from a remote location or under-equipped hospital to a life-saving facility hundreds of kilometers away — in time?
At Lifewings Air Ambulance, every mission is a symphony of speed, precision, and expert coordination. Let’s take a closer look behind the scenes to understand what goes into executing a life-saving medical flight.
🚨 Step 1: The Emergency Call
Every mission starts with a single phone call.
It could be a hospital seeking a bed-to-bed transfer, a family in distress, or a corporate assistance desk handling an accident abroad. Lifewings operates a 24/7 emergency response line, ensuring no time is lost.
Once the call is received, trained coordination officers begin collecting critical information:
- Patient’s condition
- Current location & hospital
- Destination hospital
- Medical history
- Type of support required (ICU, ventilator, pediatric, etc.)
Within minutes, the mission framework begins to form.
🧠 Step 2: Quick Medical Assessment
Every patient is different. Before takeoff, Lifewings’ in-house medical team evaluates the patient’s stability and transport readiness. This assessment is often conducted in real-time via:
- Phone/video calls with the referring doctor
- Reviewing reports, scans, or vitals shared digitally
- Determining if in-transit life support is required
This ensures the correct medical crew and equipment are dispatched for the specific case.
🧑⚕️ Step 3: Crew Assignment & Equipment Setup
Each Lifewings mission is staffed based on the patient’s condition:
- 🚑 ICU patients: Critical care doctors + paramedics
- 🧒 Infants or neonates: Pediatric specialist + NICU nurse
- 💉 Organ transport: Medical escort or transplant technician
Meanwhile, the aircraft (fixed-wing or helicopter) is equipped like a flying ICU:
- Advanced life support (ALS) systems
- Portable ventilator
- Cardiac monitors
- Defibrillators
- Infusion pumps
- Emergency drugs and oxygen supply
All equipment is cross-checked using a strict checklist before every mission.
🛫 Step 4: Ground-to-Air Coordination
What truly sets air ambulance apart is the bed-to-bed experience. Lifewings doesn’t just fly patients — they ensure full, seamless movement:
- Ground ambulance picks up the patient from the origin hospital
- Patient is stabilized and moved to the airport
- On-board medical team monitors and treats during flight
- At the destination, another ambulance and hospital staff await
- Patient is handed over with updated condition reports
The coordination across cities, airspace, and medical teams happens in real-time, handled by Lifewings’ mission control.
🩺 Step 5: In-Flight Medical Care
Once airborne, the real-time care begins. The in-flight crew does not just observe — they:
- Monitor vitals every minute
- Administer oxygen or medication as needed
- Communicate with ground control and receiving hospital
- Perform emergency interventions if necessary
This is where the experience of the Lifewings medical team becomes vital. They’re trained not only in intensive care, but also to handle medical emergencies mid-flight, at 30,000 feet.
🌐 Step 6: Handover at Receiving Hospital
Upon landing, the ground ambulance is already waiting. A critical factor of a successful air ambulance mission is the pre-notified hospital team receiving the patient with zero delay.
Lifewings’ crew provides a verbal and written handover report, detailing:
- Medications administered
- Vitals during the flight
- Any complications encountered
- Real-time patient condition
This ensures immediate continuation of care, without needing re-diagnosis or further stabilization.
💬 Real Story: Saving a Life Across 3 States
Recently, a 58-year-old cardiac patient in Patna needed urgent bypass surgery in Hyderabad. Commercial flights were too risky, and road travel would take over 20 hours.
Within 25 minutes of the call, Lifewings activated a charter aircraft. A cardiac specialist and nurse accompanied the patient with a defibrillator and cardiac meds on standby.
Total transfer time: 3 hours 15 minutes.
Result: Life saved. Surgery successful.
🎯 The Human Touch Behind Every Mission
Lifewings isn’t just about aircraft and equipment — it’s about compassion-driven care. Each mission involves:
- Reassuring distressed families
- Handling legal and airport clearances
- Ensuring cultural and language sensitivity
- Helping patients feel secure throughout the journey
📊 Why Lifewings Makes a Difference
✅ Pan-India coverage
✅ International evacuations available
✅ 24/7 dispatch & coordination
✅ Experienced in complex missions
✅ Affordable, transparent pricing
Whether it’s a trauma case in a remote location or a newborn in need of NICU care, Lifewings Air Ambulance is trusted by families, hospitals, and government agencies across India and beyond.
