The SAMU 12 emergency medical service coordinates trauma response, prehospital medical regulation, and emergency transport operations across the Aveyron department from its headquarters at the Centre Hospitalier de Rodez (Hôpital Jacques Puel). Serving a region characterized by deep valleys, rugged limestone plateaus, and dispersed rural communities, the service plays a critical role in delivering rapid emergency care to remote areas with limited direct access to major tertiary hospitals. Through its centralized dispatch infrastructure, SAMU 12 manages urgent medical calls, deploys SMUR mobile intensive care units, and coordinates specialized physician-led interventions for severe cardiac, neurological, and trauma-related emergencies.
A key component of the department’s emergency response capability is its helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS), operated in partnership with
SAF Hélicoptères. Under this framework, SAF Hélicoptères provides the aircraft, pilots, and technical support infrastructure, while the medical crews are staffed directly by the Rodez hospital network. The service currently utilizes an Airbus H135 helicopter, including aircraft such as F-HLCI, configured as a fully equipped flying intensive care unit. The helicopter significantly reduces transit times across the mountainous terrain of southern France, enabling rapid patient transfers and emergency interventions while maintaining direct connectivity with advanced regional trauma centers such as the Toulouse University Hospital.
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