CMS Air Ambulance is the domestic and international medical retrieval division of CareFlight Medical Services (CMS). CMS runs Australia’s only 24/7 medically staffed and configured retrieval jets. A Lear 45 and a Lear 36A are on standby for rescue and retrieval work throughout Australia, Asia and the Pacific Rim.
The Lear 45 is located at the Gold Coast Interantional Airport, while the Lear 36A is based at Townsville International Airport. CMS Air Ambulance operates under the CareFlight Air Operators Certificate (AOC). The CMS Air Ambulance jets are fully fitted with state of the art medical equipment transforming them into flying Intensive Care Units. CareFlight Medical Services critical care doctors and registered nurses are on standby 24/7 for all jet flights.
The operation is Australia’s only air medical rescue organisation with 24/7 medical and aviation crews and a permanent location at two international airports. CMS Air Ambulance rescue jets can respond to a domestic call-out within 45 minutes and an international call-out within 90 minutes. The service also has convenient access to customs clearance, domestic and international commercial flights as well as private charter operations.
Both aircraft have pressurised cabins and are fitted out with world’s best practice medical equipment maintained to the highest standards under CareFlight’s quality assurance policies.
The Lear 36A carries a single patient stretcher (Lifeport System), seating for two (2) medical crew and an extra seat for a single passenger . The Lear 45 is a larger aircraft which is fitted with two stretchers.
To see more on the retrieval jets, go to CareFlight Fleet.
The CareFlight Medical Services (CMS) doctors on board all jet flights are specialists in Emergency Medicine, Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, or Advanced Trainees in these specialties. All have undergone extensive training in air-medical retrieval and must maintain their qualifications and skills in accordance with CMS quality assurance policies. CMS paramedics are seconded from the Queensland Ambulance Service and are among only a few in Australia who work full-time in air medical retrieval. All paramedics who work for CMS are trained in either Intensive Care, or Advanced Care.
CMS has an extensive pool of registered nurses that are trained and integrated into the fixed wing environment. All medical and nursing staff are fully indemnified for domestic and international retrievals.
For more information on CareFlight’s medical specialist teams go to CareFlight Medical Services.