Emden. Emden-based Northern HeliCopter GmbH (NHC for short) has secured its first order for service in the Baltic Sea. In 2018, NHC will have a rescue helicopter with pilots and medical crew based in Güttin on the island of Rügen on 24/7 call throughout the year. The client is 50Hertz Transmission (50HzT) from Berlin, who had been looking for an interim solution until completion of its EU tender.

50Hertz is a transmission network operator responsible for the construction and operation of grid connections for offshore installations. Its obligations therefore include ensuring that all personnel working offshore in the Baltic Sea are guaranteed assistance in the event of illness or emergency. NHC will be taking on this assignment at the start of the new year.

In order to reach the Baltic Sea's offshore wind farms as quickly as possible in an emergency, one of its own helicopters will be permanently stationed at the new base for rescue missions. Minimum response times are crucial for rescuing people in dangerous situations, so a team comprising two pilots, a winch operator, a specially trained emergency doctor and a paramedic will be permanently stationed at the base.

Frank Zabell, Managing Director of Northern HeliCopter: "We are pleased to be setting up a new base station on the island of Rügen next year and will thus be able to make our experience in offshore wind farm rescue available in the Baltic Sea as well." The contract comes into effect on 1 January 2018 for an initial period of 6 months.

Based in Emden, Northern HeliCopter GmbH has around 50 employees and operates with four helicopters. The company has 25 years of experience in the field of air rescue and also provides helicopter ambulance and passenger transport services. A base was established in St. Peter Ording in 2014 for the purposes of significantly reducing the flight time to offshore wind farms. 2011 saw NHC become the first private company to offer a rescue flight service in the German Bight on a 24/7 basis throughout the year. With the introduction of the holistic offshore rescue concept WINDEAcare, NHC has, in cooperation with partners specialized in emergency medical services, established itself as market leader in the sector.

WINDEAcare is a holistic medical care concept for offshore wind farms: Besides Northern HeliCopter GmbH (air rescue/HEMS), the WINDEAcare partners include Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V., Regionalverband Weser-Ems (emergency control centre VENTUSmedic/paramedics, training of offshore first-aiders), Klinikum Oldenburg AöR (medical supervision/telemedical services), IQ.medworks GmbH (interdisciplinary emergency management/implementation/medical services) and EMS Maritime Offshore GmbH (nautical expertise). The WINDEAcare product is marketed by WINDEA Offshore GmbH & Co KG.

Contact: presse@northernhelicopter.de oder phone: +49 4921-937440