Fort Magsaysay, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija – The Aviation “Hiraya” Regiment, together with the Army General Hospital and the Office of the Army Chief Nurse, recently unveiled the Philippine Army’s first air ambulance helicopter on 21 March 2022. An aerial demonstration of this newest capability formed part of the activities in connection with the 125th Founding of the Philippine Army. The event, held at the HPA Grandstand, was witnessed by Lt. Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., Commanding General, Philippine Army; Col Andre B. Santos, Commander, Aviation Regiment; Col Maria Victoria P. Juan, Army Chief Nurse and senior Officers of the Philippine Army.
The Aviation Regiment’s Bo 105M helicopter was reconfigured into an air ambulance manned by a team of Army Aviators, military doctors, nurses and crew working together with ground forces. They simulated the evacuation of critically wounded personnel from point of injury to the proper medical facility. While in flight, the medical team on board can perform a variety of emergency medical procedures to save the life of wounded personnel. The aeromedical demonstration team was composed of Maj Irben G. Rimando (Pilot-in-Command), Cpt Emmanuel L. Ferrer (Co-pilot), Lt Col Maria Adesita B. Sagario (Flight Surgeon) and 1Lt Fevalyn A. Jamayo (Flight Nurse).
In his remarks, Lt. Gen Brawner Jr. stated that, “If we have this capability in the Philippine Army at nandyan sa mga areas where we are currently doing focus military operations, malaking bagay iyon. Number One, yung mga tropa natin will be more confident in their operations because they know that if anything happens, andyan tayo to support them, and Number Two, we will able to save the lives of Army personnel. We’re trying to get more air ambulances, for now we have one and we are trying to get more through our partners and through our Modernization Program.”
The Messerchmitt-Bolkow-Blohm Bo 105M helicopter is one of the air assets of the Aviation Regiment and was converted into an Air Ambulance Helicopter to perform Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions in support to ground troops.