Air Ambulance Service

Air Medical Rescue (LPR) is an institution dealing with medical rescue in Poland, established in 2000 as an independent public healthcare unit subordinate to the Minister of Health. As part of its operations, LPR runs the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), which has 21 permanent and 1 temporary base. LPR plays a key role in the Polish healthcare system, offering specialized medical services, including air ambulance and medical transport. Helipads for rescue helicopters are adapted to operational and environmental requirements, and every hospital emergency department must have a suitable helipad in accordance with applicable regulations. Municipal sites, also referred to as municipal landing sites, are designated in each municipality to support night-time HEMS operations. LPR has invested in a modern helicopter fleet, transitioning from the Mi-2 model to modern Eurocopter EC 135, which has increased the efficiency of rescue operations and reduced response times. It is worth noting that by 2015, over 150,000 landings had been carried out and nearly 2,000 municipal sites had been designated, highlighting the growing importance of air rescue in Poland. From an architectural perspective, LPR bases are designed with operational efficiency, landing safety, and easy access to hospitals in mind. Historically, since its inception, LPR has undergone significant evolution, introducing new standards in air medical rescue, which is crucial for improving the quality of healthcare. Interestingly, in its briefings, LPR not only describes its technological achievements but also emphasizes the importance of cooperation with local rescue services and firefighters, which is key to the safe execution of rescue operations, especially at night. In 2018, as a result of a tender, new helicopters and aircraft were added to the LPR fleet, enabling further development and raising the standards of medical rescue in Poland.