In Warsaw, the training of medical personnel from Ukraine began in the field of competence, procedures and organization of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), which is carried out by the Polish Medical Air Rescue. It is an initiative taken by the First Ladies of Poland and Ukraine.

The training is a response to the reported need for the preparation of Ukrainian medical personnel for activities related to the protection and evacuation of wounded soldiers and citizens by air from the war zone, but also the final implementation of the project of building the HEMS structure in Ukraine.

The training – lasting 10 days – will be carried out in a theoretical and practical formula and will cover:

• issues related to human resource management in the HEMS crew, with particular emphasis on the principles of effective communication and cooperation in the crew;
• operational procedures used during HEMS missions;
• medical procedures: standardization of medical equipment, specialist patient protection in various states of health risk, including highly specialized procedures at various stages of mission implementation, including cardiac arrest on board the helicopter, endotracheal intubation on board the helicopter, using check-lists, or solving various medical problems during the flight;
• workshops on evacuation from a helicopter with a patient in the event of emergencies, including from a smoky cabin;
• practical exercises in the field of behavior and preparation and evacuation from the war zone (i.e. the zone where the helicopter cannot land) of the patient to the place of final evacuation;
• Familiarizing participants with the principles of training and maintaining qualifications by HEMS personnel using a flight simulator.

The above scope will be implemented by medical instructors, aviation training instructors who train the personnel of the Air Rescue Service on a daily basis.

An additional element that is provided during the training is participation in the HEMS crew’s duty, including flights to events and familiarization with the presented procedures in terms of practical use.

The main purpose of the training is to familiarize participants with the specifics of the work of HEMS crews, which is carried out on the basis of regulations and standards in force in the European Union.

The trainings were inaugurated by a press conference with the participation of Robert Gałązkowski – director of the LPR, Adam Niedzielski – Minister of Health, Jacek Siewiera – head of the National Security Bureau and Irina Mykychak, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine.