From unpredictable weather over Ireland’s west coast to landing in challenging terrain, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) demand far more than aviation expertise. Every mission brings together highly skilled pilots, medical professionals, engineers and operational teams around one objective: reaching people when time matters most.

Gulf Med Aviation Services (GMAS), a company within the Medilink International Group, commenced HEMS operations in Ireland on 15 January 2023, supporting the Health Service Executive (HSE) in the delivery of primary emergency missions.

Today, the operation has expanded across two bases, including the recently established Sligo base. Approximately 500 missions are undertaken annually, with this number expected to increase as the second base strengthens operational coverage.

For Adrian Kenny, GMAS’s Ireland operation demonstrates both the complexity and the human significance of HEMS. One mission in September 2024 remains particularly memorable. Following the transfer of a patient to Cork University Hospital, the crew was tasked to assist a 14-year-old boy who had fallen on a mountain, sustaining a serious arm fracture and head injury.

Mountain rescue would not ordinarily fall within the team’s operational remit, but with Search and Rescue resources unavailable, the crew accepted the mission. Adrian recalls:

Finding the casualty presented the first challenge. The teenagers were in a valley and unable to provide precise coordinates. After two unsuccessful sweeps, the medical crew contacted the group again.

The injured boy’s 14-year-old friend, who was holding him on the mountainside, provided a remarkable piece of information: the helicopter was approximately three football pitches south of their position.

Following his directions, the crew located them.

The next challenge was landing. Through careful Crew Resource Management (CRM) and coordination across the aircraft, the team identified a gravel area within the riverbed at the bottom of the valley. From there, medical personnel navigated approximately 15 minutes through difficult terrain to reach the casualty.

For Adrian, what remains most striking is not only the complexity of the operation, but the composure of the young person who helped make the rescue possible.

“Under enormous pressure, this 14-year-old knew his orientation well enough to guide a helicopter crew to their position. More than two years later, it remains one of the most emotional and rewarding missions I have experienced.”

Operating in a demanding environment

Ireland presents distinctive HEMS challenges. Weather can change rapidly, while the landscape of the west coast demands sound judgement, local knowledge and respect for the conditions of the Wild Atlantic. This makes team composition, training and operational culture critical.

The Ireland operation currently includes dedicated Commanders and Co-Pilots across the Rathcool and Sligo bases, supported by additional floating crew. Establishing the new Sligo operation amid a global pilot shortage and within a demanding client timeframe required significant coordination.

For GMAS, however, capability extends beyond the cockpit. Each day begins with a multidisciplinary briefing involving flight and medical crews. Missions are debriefed with a focus on continuous improvement, while engineering teams work behind the scenes to maintain aircraft serviceability and operational readiness. Rostering, client liaison, maintenance coordination and regulatory requirements all form part of the system required to ensure an aircraft and its crew are ready when the next call comes.

It is an approach grounded in a simple principle: HEMS is ultimately about people.

“Helping people is in GMAS’s DNA,” Adrian explains. “Helping people anywhere in the world is special. Having the opportunity to do so in your own country, and very often your own community, is an enormous privilege.”

As HEMS becomes increasingly recognised across Ireland, GMAS continues to strengthen its contribution to the country’s emergency response capability – combining aviation expertise, clinical collaboration and a culture of continuous improvement to deliver where every minute matters.