In Portugal, a network of emergency medical helicopters stands ready to launch within minutes, providing critical care to remote areas where time is the most precious resource. The service, operated by Gulf Med Aviation Services in partnership with the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM), has achieved an average response time of just three minutes from alert to take-off.
"Response time in medical emergencies is the critical factor for success. We are currently operating at an excellent level, within three minutes. In certain cases we can reduce it even further," said Hugo Chambel, director of Gulf Med for the Iberian Peninsula.
Coverage and fleet expansion
The network is built around four permanent bases in Loulé, Évora, Viseu and Macedo de Cavaleiros, ensuring coverage of almost the entire country. Gulf Med began operations in Portugal in July 2025 under a direct award contract worth around €4 million, which remained in force until October last year. From October onwards, the company has been working under a €77.5 million contract awarded following an international public tender for INEM's Emergency Medical Helicopter Service (SHEM). The five-year contract runs until mid-2030.
In April 2026, the company added a fifth helicopter to the fleet, bringing the total investment in Portugal to around €50 million. This extra aircraft serves as a backup, ensuring operational continuity during maintenance or technical withdrawals. The helicopters are Airbus H145 D3 models, equipped with skis instead of wheels, allowing them to land on virtually any terrain—roads, estates, or confined spaces.
"We are certain of that, not only because these aircraft are designed for this kind of mission. Their weight and payload capacity are very well balanced, which makes them extremely flexible," Chambel added.
Onboard medical teams and mission types
Each helicopter carries doctors and nurses trained for critical situations. Leila Duarte, an INEM internal and emergency medicine doctor, explained the process: "Each mission is made up of several stages. While we are still en route, and based on the initial information, we discuss possible scenarios and anticipate difficulties so we can save time when we approach the patient." The team then assesses, stabilises, and decides where to transport the patient, maintaining constant monitoring during the flight.
Missions fall into two categories: primary, when the team is sent directly to the scene of an incident, and secondary, which are more planned transfers between hospital units. SHEM also handles organ transport and ECMO transport for critically ill patients dependent on advanced mechanical cardiopulmonary support. The number of primary missions has been increasing, underscoring the resource's importance in critical situations. "One of our first objectives was to change the mission profile. We now carry out more primary missions than secondary ones," noted Chambel.
Since the beginning of the year, the Heli Sul base in Évora has already completed around 230 missions, 160 of which were primary incidents, highlighting the growing importance of air transport in medical emergency response, particularly in inland regions.
Safety and night operations
In the cockpit, pilots prioritise safe operations under all circumstances. "We always check the weather conditions so we can react quickly when a primary call comes in. At night, it is more demanding because we have to take several factors into account, including the landing site. Even so, we are normally able to respond within five minutes," said Craig Dewar, a pilot with INEM's Emergency Medical Helicopter Service.
The service's rapid response capability is particularly vital in a country like Portugal, where remote inland areas and coastal zones can be difficult to reach by road. The helicopters' ability to land almost anywhere makes them an indispensable tool for saving lives. As Chambel put it, "Whatever the scenario, the goal remains the same: getting there quickly and saving lives."
This development comes as Portugal continues to invest in emergency infrastructure. For context, the country has also seen progress in other areas, such as the certification of Bussaco Forest as a therapeutic forest, and its cities rank well in expat surveys, as noted in Europe's mixed results in 2026 expat rankings.
