By Anthony McLennan / Truth Theory
Tests are being conducted to work out the feasibility of paramedics using jet suits during rescue missions.
In some instances, it’s just not possible for rescuers to use a helicopter to reach people who are stranded in awkward locations. On a mountain edge for example. And of course, not every rescue team is going to have easy access to a helicopter.
Its this issue which has driven the idea to develop jetpacks as rescue ‘vehicles’ for paramedics.
The tests have been carried out by the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) in the Lake District in England.
This followed a year of discussions with Gravity Industries.
And it was the founder of Gravity Industries, Richard Browning, who was the ‘human guinea pig’.
The suit was made up five mini-engines – two on each arm and one on the back. The person using the contraption is able to control it by moving their hands.
The concept was initially thought of by Andy Mawson, operations director at GNAAS.
Mr. Mawson said that dozens of hikers and others enjoying the Lake District have to be rescued each month.
Flying paramedics will drastically cut down rescue times
And because of the nature of the area, these rescues often involve rescuers having to hike up steep and difficult terrain.
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By using a jetpack, the time taken for the rescue can potentially be cut from 30 minutes or longer to as little as 90 seconds.
So is this actually about to become a reality? It could well be because according to Mawson, the tests went very positively.
“Well we’ve seen it now and it is, quite honestly, awesome.”
The idea is for the paramedics with jetpacks to be able to reach people more quickly in order to provide treatments such as pain relief from broken bones or even defibrillator for heart attack patients.
Read more: Australian Researchers Close To Creating ‘World First’ Human Bionic Eye Image Credits: Gravity Industries