With a jet suit, paramedics would reach patients in minutes by “flying” to them. This device has been tested by the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

This jet suit means to make paramedics literally “fly” toward people in need in order to provide initial care. It would be a complete revolution. After a year of talks between the Great North Air Ambulance Service and Gravity Industries, a first test flight was carried out in the Lake District.

The test of the jet suit for paramedics by the Great Air Ambulance Service

A paramedic could “fly” to a fell top in 90 seconds rather than taking 30 minutes on foot.  According to what the BBC reported, Andy Mawson, director of operations at Great North Air Ambulance Service, came up with the idea: “There are dozens of patients every month within the complex but relatively small geographical footprint of the Lakes. We could see the need. What we didn’t know for sure is how this would work in practice. Well, we’ve seen it now and it is, quite honestly, awesome.”

The exercise had demonstrated the huge potential of using jet suits to deliver critical care services. The test flight was carried out by Richard Browning, the “Iron Man”, founder of Gravity Industries. He said the suits had two mini engines on each arm and one on the back allowing the paramedic to control their movement just by moving their hands.

Mr Mawson reported: “The biggest advantage is its speed. If the idea takes off, the flying paramedic will be armed with a medical kit, with strong pain relief for walkers who may have suffered fractures, and a defibrillator for those who may have suffered a heart attack. In a jet pack, what might have taken up to an hour to reach the patient may only take a few minutes, and that could mean the difference between life and death.”

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BBC NEWS