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What precautions should be taken when preparing a helicopter for an emergency medical service flight to assist two injured climbers on a mountain, considering the presence of a medical professional bringing equipment containing lithium batteries, oxygen bottles, and medications with radioactive components?
  • A
    Medical equipment may be transported WITHOUT restrictions since medical equipment is permanently exempt from the dangerous goods regulation.
  • B
    Medical equipment may only be transported provided the quantities of the dangerous goods are in accordance with the Technical Instructions.
  • C
    Medical equipment may be transported and exempt from the dangerous goods regulation due to the nature of this specific operation.
  • D
    Medical equipment should NOT be transported unless the Competent Authority grants specific permission on a case-by-case basis.

According to the Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to Annex IV – Part-CAT, Subpart A — General requirements, Section 1 — Motor-powered aircraft, GM1 CAT.GEN.MPA.200, is prescribed that:

Transport of dangerous goods GENERAL:

(a) The requirement to transport dangerous goods by air in accordance with the Technical Instructions is irrespective of whether:

(1) the flight is wholly or partly within or wholly outside the territory of a State; or

(2) an approval to carry dangerous goods in accordance with Annex V (Part-SPA), Subpart G is held.

(b) The Technical Instructions provide that in certain circumstances dangerous goods, which are normally forbidden on an aircraft, may be carried. These circumstances include cases of extreme urgency or when other forms of transport are inappropriate or when full compliance with the prescribed requirements is contrary to the public interest. In these circumstances, all the States concerned may grant exemptions from the provisions of the Technical Instructions provided that an overall level of safety which is at least equivalent to that provided by the Technical Instructions is achieved. Although exemptions are most likely to be granted for the carriage of dangerous goods that are not permitted in normal circumstances, they may also be granted in other circumstances, such as when the packaging to be used is not provided for by the appropriate packing method or the quantity in the packaging is greater than that permitted. The Technical Instructions also make provision for some dangerous goods to be carried when an approval has been granted only by the State of origin and the State of the operator.

(c) When an exemption is required, the States concerned are those of origin, transit, overflight and destination of the consignment and that of the operator. For the State of overflight, if none of the criteria for granting an exemption are relevant, an exemption may be granted based solely on whether it is believed that an equivalent level of safety in air transport has been achieved.

(d) The Technical Instructions provide that exemptions and approvals are granted by the appropriate national authority’, which is intended to be the authority responsible for the particular aspect against which the exemption or approval is being sought. The Instructions do not specify who should seek exemptions and, depending on the legislation of the particular State, this may mean the operator, the shipper or an agent. If an exemption or approval has been granted to other than the operator, the operator should ensure a copy has been obtained before the relevant flight. The operator should ensure all relevant conditions on an exemption or approval are met.

(e) The exemption or approval referred to in (b) to (d) is in addition to the approval required by Annex V (Part SPA), Subpart G.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Medical equipment may be transported and exempt from the dangerous goods regulation due to the nature of this specific operation.

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