MEDEVAC
Encyclopedia
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using medically equipped ground vehicles (ambulance
s) or aircraft (air ambulance
s). Examples include civilian EMT
vehicles, civilian aeromedical helicopter services, and Army air ambulances. This term also covers the transfer of patients from the battlefield to a treatment facility or from one treatment facility to another by medical personnel, such as from a Navy ship to a shore-based Naval hospital.
, fixed-wing aircraft
, or helicopter
used as an ambulance
(sometimes called an "air ambulance
") provided with definitive medical care in route. This permits the rapid transport of seriously injured persons, particularly trauma
patients, from the scene of the accident to the hospital
. News accounts of such transportation often use the terms "airlifted" or "LifeFlighted", although medevac is a common term used by civilians as well. Most patients transported by medevac are taken to a specialized hospital known as a trauma center
. Medevac can be misconstrued, as it may not clarify as to whether ground or air assets are being utilized, and therefore it is best to make it clear during planning and communication.
The technique has its roots in the establishment of the Australia
n Royal Flying Doctor Service
, which was established in 1928 to bring doctors to patients and patients to hospitals from the remote outback. Inevitably, the immense military
potential of the practice was realized with the development of the helicopter.
The United States Army
pioneered this lifesaving technique in Burma toward the end of World War II
, using Sikorsky R-4 helicopters. They established semi-permanent field hospitals immediately behind the front lines, which allowed wounded soldiers to receive complete medical treatment after only a short helicopter flight. The technique was depicted in the MASH film
and M*A*S*H television series, set in the Korean War
less than a decade later, where Bell 47
helicopters were frequently used.
In modern American military terminology, medevac is often differentiated from casualty evacuation (casevac). In this context, medevac refers to the moving of a patient either from the point of injury, or a casualty collection point, to a medical facility or between the different levels of care with en route medical care whereas casevac has limited or no en route care and medical equipment.
Casevac is heavily utilized by the United States Marine Corps and manned by United States Navy Hospital Corpsman; its helicopters are combat aircraft and will, as needed, land in "hot zones" medevac helicopters would not, due to hostile fire. Accordingly, medevac aircraft are normally modified aircraft with lifesaving equipment on board as well as trained medical personnel as part of the aircrew. The aircraft are marked with the Red Cross/Crescent, and as such, covered by the Geneva Convention, thereby allowing the aircrew to only carry personal weapons. In the United States military, the medevac mission is performed primarily by the United States Army.
In Australian military terminology, a medevac refers to the evacuation of an entire section for medical reasons while a casevac refers to the evacuation of a small number of troops, usually just one.
The phrase "aeromedical evacuation
" or AEROVAC is also used to refer to transportation of medical cases from one medical facility to another with a higher level of care, a particular skill set or in the case of combat to a safer environment, with the capability for sophisticated en route care (ventilators, etc.). In the United States military, this is done primarily by the United States Air Force to move patients out of the combat theater aboard fixed wing aircraft.
Private medevac flights are also frequently used to airlift seriously ill or injured travelers out of remote rural areas or from countries with inadequate or non-existent medical facilities.
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
s) or aircraft (air ambulance
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....
s). Examples include civilian EMT
Emergency medical technician
Emergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
vehicles, civilian aeromedical helicopter services, and Army air ambulances. This term also covers the transfer of patients from the battlefield to a treatment facility or from one treatment facility to another by medical personnel, such as from a Navy ship to a shore-based Naval hospital.
Description
The term medevac is commonly applied to a motor vehicleMotor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
, fixed-wing aircraft
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
, or 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...
used as an ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
(sometimes called an "air ambulance
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....
") provided with definitive medical care in route. This permits the rapid transport of seriously injured persons, particularly trauma
Physical trauma
Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
patients, from the scene of the accident to the 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....
. News accounts of such transportation often use the terms "airlifted" or "LifeFlighted", although medevac is a common term used by civilians as well. Most patients transported by medevac are taken to a specialized hospital known as a trauma center
Trauma center
A trauma center is a hospital equipped to provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Trauma centers grew into existence out of the realization that traumatic injury is a disease process unto itself requiring specialized and experienced...
. Medevac can be misconstrued, as it may not clarify as to whether ground or air assets are being utilized, and therefore it is best to make it clear during planning and communication.
The technique has its roots in the establishment of the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Royal Flying Doctor Service
Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia
The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia...
, which was established in 1928 to bring doctors to patients and patients to hospitals from the remote outback. Inevitably, the immense military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
potential of the practice was realized with the development of the helicopter.
The United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
pioneered this lifesaving technique in Burma toward the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, using Sikorsky R-4 helicopters. They established semi-permanent field hospitals immediately behind the front lines, which allowed wounded soldiers to receive complete medical treatment after only a short helicopter flight. The technique was depicted in the MASH film
MASH (film)
MASH is a 1970 American satirical dark comedy film directed by Robert Altman and written by Ring Lardner, Jr., based on Richard Hooker's novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. It is the only feature film in the M*A*S*H franchise...
and M*A*S*H television series, set in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
less than a decade later, where Bell 47
Bell 47
The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
helicopters were frequently used.
In modern American military terminology, medevac is often differentiated from casualty evacuation (casevac). In this context, medevac refers to the moving of a patient either from the point of injury, or a casualty collection point, to a medical facility or between the different levels of care with en route medical care whereas casevac has limited or no en route care and medical equipment.
Casevac is heavily utilized by the United States Marine Corps and manned by United States Navy Hospital Corpsman; its helicopters are combat aircraft and will, as needed, land in "hot zones" medevac helicopters would not, due to hostile fire. Accordingly, medevac aircraft are normally modified aircraft with lifesaving equipment on board as well as trained medical personnel as part of the aircrew. The aircraft are marked with the Red Cross/Crescent, and as such, covered by the Geneva Convention, thereby allowing the aircrew to only carry personal weapons. In the United States military, the medevac mission is performed primarily by the United States Army.
In Australian military terminology, a medevac refers to the evacuation of an entire section for medical reasons while a casevac refers to the evacuation of a small number of troops, usually just one.
Aeromedical evacuation
Aeromedical Evacuation usually refers to specialized medical transportation units in the United States Air Force. Within the U.S. Air Force, AE is coordinated by Air Mobility Command located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois...
" or AEROVAC is also used to refer to transportation of medical cases from one medical facility to another with a higher level of care, a particular skill set or in the case of combat to a safer environment, with the capability for sophisticated en route care (ventilators, etc.). In the United States military, this is done primarily by the United States Air Force to move patients out of the combat theater aboard fixed wing aircraft.
Private medevac flights are also frequently used to airlift seriously ill or injured travelers out of remote rural areas or from countries with inadequate or non-existent medical facilities.
See also
- Aeromedical EvacuationAeromedical evacuationAeromedical Evacuation usually refers to specialized medical transportation units in the United States Air Force. Within the U.S. Air Force, AE is coordinated by Air Mobility Command located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois...
- Air ambulanceAir ambulanceAn 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....
- Casualty evacuation
- Medivac (TV series)Medivac (TV series)Medivac was an Australian television drama series that ran on Network Ten from 1996 to 1998. There were 48 episodes produced. Medivac is an abbreviation of the term medical evacuation...
- Shock Trauma Air Rescue SocietyShock Trauma Air Rescue SocietyThe Alberta Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society was formed in Calgary, Alberta to provide emergency medical care and transport to the critically ill and injured...
External links
- Association of Air Medical Services
- Landing in Hell: Army Medevac Today - slideshow by Life magazine