Reliability and resilience in every mission

How do you prioritise missions when multiple emergency requests come in simultaneously, especially with limited aircraft availability?

The medical urgency of the patient is always the primary factor, but we also consider operational feasibility, distance, weather, aircraft type, and crew duty limits. Close coordination with our medical crew ensures that the patient with the most time-critical needs is prioritised. At the same time, we look for creative solutions, such as re-routing an aircraft already in the air or collaborating with partner operators, to ensure that no patient is left waiting longer than necessary.

The medical urgency of the patient is always the primary factor

What measures do you take to manage fatigue and stress among operations control centre (OCC) staff, given the high-stakes nature of the work?

Fatigue management is essential in OCC. We work with structured shift patterns, mandatory rest periods, and we make sure that all tasks can be shared. We also promote a ‘just culture’, where team members feel comfortable raising concerns if they are reaching their limits. Stress debriefs after major or complex missions help the team process events, and we provide access to professional support where needed. Above all, we make sure that staff know they are never alone in making high-pressure decisions.

What role does real-time data (e.g., weather, traffic, hospital capacity) play in your dispatch decisions, and how is it integrated into your systems?

Real-time data is very important in OCCdecision-making. Weather conditions directly influence flight planning and aircraft selection; traffic updates guide ground ambulance scheduling; and hospital capacity data helps us identify the most appropriate receiving facility for each patient. This reduces decision time and increases accuracy, ensuring missions run safely and efficiently.

Can you tell us how your team responds to a major incident?

Major incidents activate our crisis response protocol. The OCC immediately establishes a command structure with clear roles, so communication lines remain efficient. We increase staffing if needed, sometimes calling in off-duty personnel. Dedicated people manage communication with clients, hospitals, and authorities, while flight dispatchers and medical coordinators focus on operational execution. Continuous situation assessments allow us to adapt resources as the incident evolves. The key is discipline in following the plan, but also flexibility to adjust as new information emerges.

How do you evaluate mission success, and what metrics do you use to improve future operations?

Mission success is measured foremost by patient outcome and safety. Operationally, we also review response times, ontime performance, and communication effectiveness. After each mission, we log any operational challenges our system. Trends are analysed regularly; for example, if we see needs to adjust procedures, we act to address them. Success for us is not only about one safe mission, but about building reliability and resilience into every future mission.