Airlift

[Kansas Stan]

A question for similar small BLS systems out on the prairie or wherever Eagle Med, etc services are called in to fly patients out....who does your landing zone set up at accident site? We have a very good relationship with local FD and they take care of it for us as well as extrication work. A service just down the road pretty much refuses repeated offers of their FD to do LZ work. I guess I wonder why EMS would turn down this offer when they don't have any extra bodies in the first place? Seems patient care or proper set up for the copter isn't going to happen the way it should. What do you guys do?

[rat115]

Here we're on really good terms with all of our law enforcement agencies and our FDs. Many of our firefighters also either do work on or have worked on our ambulances also. I've not yet had to deal with that on a scene, but I know that depending on the situation it's either the FD or LEOs.

[Ridryder 911]

The only problems I now have is new state dooper.. uh I mean troopers. For some reason they want to maintain an open lane next to the bird and sometimes refuse to close a lane for the helo.. They already had 2 medics killed and 2 firefighters killed for their new "brown shirt' attitudes. Hopefully, we won't have any more needless deaths.

For as refusing.. it is stupid to refuse extra hands, but as a flight/nurse/medic I can assure... more than 4 is too many near a rotating blade. Too many people to control and have a safe scene...

R/r911

[madmedic8522]

in the area I'm working, we don't have to worry about anything, as far as copters go. we request through command and the rest just happens.

our FDs (x3) all take care of getting them in the air and back down on the ground. the biggest problem we run in to is someone being over zealous and dispatching a "bird" without EMS on scene.

command will get the closest ETA, let us know, then we decide if we're going to wait or ground transport. that's about it!

BTW, we do it this way because we have 3 different dispatch agencies, and it keeps from getting confusing. we had a couple of calls (years ago) that got numerous copters arriving when we only needed 1, because everybody was having them dispatched.......it was kinda funny to see, but a huge waste of resources.

madmedic

[flight-lp]

That happened to us once with DPS. They refused to shut down U.S. 59 for a 3 helicopter scene involving a tour bus. So we in turn refused to land. Its amazing how quickly a single sheriff's deputy can shut down a highway. Hasn't happened since then...........

The only problems I now have is new state dooper.. uh I mean troopers. For some reason they want to maintain an open lane next to the bird and sometimes refuse to close a lane for the helo.. They already had 2 medics killed and 2 firefighters killed for their new "brown shirt' attitudes. Hopefully, we won't have any more needless deaths.

For as refusing.. it is stupid to refuse extra hands, but as a flight/nurse/medic I can assure... more than 4 is too many near a rotating blade. Too many people to control and have a safe scene...

R/r911

[TechMedic05]

Fire Dept. does it for us, however, they're usually busy, so a mutual aid fire dept. will come in and set up a 'helispot' for us. Haven't had any mjor issues. Our [semi] local flight service is 20-25 minutes away, so for trauma patients with extrication issues, we will land near the incident. For the majority of our medical flights, I personally like to get going to the hospital. They can meet us there. [Hospital drive time is 15 minutes vs. 20-25 for helo] It normally works out well.

One issue we have is the ambulance we interceot with will call for one, put it on stand by, then cancel, then call again. By then, weather's changed, and they refuse to fly. Although, where we are...a cloud anywhere near Kansas is enough to not lift off. [Yeah, I know there's real weather challenges, and other demands. We work around it.] ...I live in New England.

Side note - Recently completed the ICS-200 class, instructed by a State Trooper - Who emphasized more on incident demobilization and "Lets not shut down the interstate...ever...for any reason..." instead of how to do it corectly. Granted, it does make his job a lot tougher, gotta do what we have to do. Sorry, sir. Luckily the FD's like to cut lots of cars all to pieces, and like to fly people beause it's cool. And luckily, they have the legal authority. [it was beat into our heads severely that Police and Fire have the legal authoriy only...We are just a transportation service...ugh...] I'm glad we get along mostly.

[SSG G-man]

Here in MD as soon as helicopter is requested, an Engine Co is dipatched for LZ. No trouble getting roads shut down if necessary, 90% of flights done by State patrol helicopters.

[flightmedic608]

In our service area, whether the provider be a private or FD based we utilize the FD for securing our scene/LZs. We have a PR program in which we go out to each area FD and discuss the needs/capability of our program. I would try and initiate contact with the EMS director and speak to him about the necessity of safety on an LZ. If this is still an issue I would contact the safety director for the program and ask him for assistance.

[MedFire]

Thank goodness I live in the sticks. All LZ's are done by fire. Every town we work with has an understanding that the helo will not land without one engine and a charged line at the LZ. Saftey first.

We have many sites for landing zones. None of which are on the MassPike or any other road. There are enough fields and parking lots to safely land in without all the danger of the road way and what comes with it.

I cant tell you how many times the surrounding FD's have interupted baseball games and nameless other things going on in the community just so the helo can land.

My personal best spot is the soccer field at the school complex. its fenced in so no outside sources can come in without you knowing. Also the rig just squeeks in the gate opening... lol

I also understand that weather Issue. It seems like anytime we need a helo recently they wont fly. Wednesday they wouldnt fly. Man was I hoping for the suicidal ex army guy to be on but nope he wasnt... ugh.. Long ride in that day.

[SSaint]

Here in Upstate New York we generally try and avoid landing a helo on a road. If we do, we shut down the whole road.

LZs are usually set up by FD or PD.

In my town, all the FDs are volunteer, and do not respond to EMS-only calls.

But, in my limited experience, if we're landing a helo, FD is on-scene for extrication, or other duties.

When it comes to landing on an interstate, it's no problem, there's two air rescue helos, one run by the hospital, one by the NY State Police in conjunction with my town's EMS Department.