Emergency Medical Rescue Ambulance Service (EMRAS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Premier Service Medical Investments (Pvt) Ltd, commenced operations in October 2002. Since its inception in Harare, bases have been established in Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, Kwekwe, Masvingo, Victoria Falls, Chiredzi and Bindura. EMRAS currently operates 32 road ambulances countrywide equipped to provide Intermediate an
d Advanced Life Support level of care. Two ICU ambulances are based in Harare. Ambulances in addition to doing primary responses (emergency calls), undertake inter-hospital transfers, diagnostic transfers and long range road ambulance evacuations between centers. All ambulances are manned by Registered Ambulance Technicians, Emergency Medical Technicians and Criticare Nurses all of whom are Advanced Cardiac Life Support trained. EMRAS in association with Executive Air operates a fixed wing air medical evacuation service based out of Charles Prince airport in Harare. Life Flight conducts air medical evacuation of patients throughout Zimbabwe and the region. Aircraft available include a King Air 200, Cessna Caravan, Cessna 402C and Navajo. Availability of different aircraft with ranging capabilities afford flexibility in terms of mission planning and ex*****on with a number being ideally suited to accessing short impaired bush strips in remote areas. All aircraft are equipped as “flying ICUs” and are manned by ACLS trained doctors and flight nurses with many years experience in air medical evacuation within Zimbabwe and the region. EMRAS enjoys preferred service provider status with a number of international medical insurance companies with numbers in Zimbabwe. In 2014, Life Flight conducted multiple casualty evacuations, necessitating the deployment of two aircraft and two air teams, twice and has the distinction of having evacuated six casualties by air, utilizing multiple aircraft flying back to back missions, in one day. EMRAS, as well as ambulance response capabilities countrywide, provides onsite medical cover for sporting and public events. Cover can be suited t the specific needs of a particular event and ranges from a fully equipped first line ambulance on site to establishment of static on site medical facilities by trauma trained RGNs and a doctor if necessary. EMRAS has, for a number of years now, provided onsite medical cover for high profile events including HIFA , all Zimbabwe Cricket international matches played in both Harare and Bulawayo, Dairyboard Schools Rugby Festival (previously COTTCO), Zimbabwe Rugby internationals and numerous music events to name just a few. EMRAS offers a wide range of training courses including Basic First Aid, Advanced First Aid, Basic Life Support for Health Care providers, CPR, Mines (specific) First Aid and Basic Trauma management. Courses can be designed to suite specific requirements and is available throughout Zimbabwe and the region. Trainers are highly qualified and experienced with a number now teaching on the Primary Trauma Care course conducted at Parirenyatwa. Comprehensive First Aid kits are available for sale. EMRAS, this year, launched a new concept in patient transportation in Zimbabwe in the form of its AMBIVAN. Currently available only in Harare and based on the UK NHS ambulance service patient transport model. This specially confined vehicle caters for the needs of the elderly or infirm who require assistance to go for doctors’ visits, physiotherapy, dialysis or on discharge from hospital but who may not require full ambulance support and transportation.
