Guest guest Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Dudley wrote, " Dr. Bledsoe, we need to call for a 72 to 96 hour moratorium on Air Medical Flights.? Ground them all, mandate some safety work and policy review...and the FAA needs to get off their politically insensitive back-sides and mandate REAL safety improvements in these helicopters...terrain avoidance, collision avoidance, night vision goggles, dual engines, flight recorders and maybe even dual pilots...the air medical industry wants to hide behind the Federal Airline Deregulation Rules when individual states try to regulate them, then have them step up to the big boy microphone and live by it all the time? " I mentioned the need for a national stand down on Flightweb. The responses seem interested. Who would call it? Would it be mandatory? I have done 4-5 interviews this AM and mentioned it (when I can). I think people will have to listen now. I have spoken with some big outlets today (NPR, AP, New York Times and soon NBC). I'll relay the message. But, remember, to the helicopter community I am some disgruntled yahoo from Texas who hates HEMS. Actually, I love HEMS. I hate to see good people die when the benefits for the patient do not outweigh the risks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 " I agree the selfish GEMS provider that calls HEMS to transport a non emergency patient so he can get back to bed needs to at the very least have his hand slapped, but I know first hand (yes it is anecdotal) the need for HEMS in the rural setting. Scientifically proven or not there is a benefit to flying patients in certain settings. But I do agree that Houston, Dallas and San are not those settings. " On that we agree wholeheartedly. I'd imagine feels the same. -- Grayson, CCEMT-P www.kellygrayson.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Dudley wrote: " Unfortunately it was WAY more than 2...and many many crown vics are still out there...I would bet many without the modifcations to prevent them from becoming fire balls when rear-ended. " And I wonder how many are 'hand me downs' that have been given to EMS as a First Responder / supervisor vehicles in that condition? Just something else to cogitate about. " A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. " Proverbs 22:3 Subject: Re: Food for thought To: texasems-l Date: Monday, June 30, 2008, 1:27 PM , Dudley Re: Food for thought At some point the FAA and the NTSB need to step in and say enough is enough. If this was any other sector of commercial aviation they would have already done so. This crash raye would not be aceptable in the millitary so why is it so in the civilian sector? I shall contact the FAA and ask them about this. Enough is enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 Dr. Bledsoe wrote: " I hate to see good people die when the benefits for the patient do not outweigh the risks. " The military uses the mandatory Safety days to get the pilots and crews to refocus. Agreed: too many good people are getting killed and it works on everyone's minds. " A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. " Proverbs 22:3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2008 Report Share Posted June 30, 2008 " Could it be because every time a helicopter crashes, the " ground pounders " raise up in arms with the " here we go again, when will someone step in and stop all this air ambulance madness " . " Not to piss in your Wheaties, Rick, and that is really not my intent... ....but that's *exactly* what we should be doing. Someone needs to raise a hue and cry about the HEMS industry - not that it isn't a needed component of EMS overall, because it is - but because the safety record is abominable. And rather than have HEMS industry insiders leading the charge for stricter standards, they're resisting it at every turn. That leaves the ground pounders to point out the problems, who are then accused of having an ax to grind by those recalcitrant HEMS industry insiders. You rightly point out that ground EMS has its safety issues as well. RLS responses, long shifts, shoddy ambulance design - both in handling and crew safety features - are *all* things ground EMS needs to address. Nadine Levick lectures all over this country about ground ambulance accidents, vehicle design and safety issues. Her talks are popular, well-attended and well-received by those of us who practice ground EMS. She's known throughout the industry as a safety advocate with the best interests of EMS crews at heart. More and more people are listening to what she has to say. Conversely, who decries the same lack of safety standards in HEMS, with the same reach? *One* lonely voice - Bledsoe - and every time he points out the insanity, he is pilloried by everyone in flight suits as that outsider kook DO from Midlothian who hates EMS helicopters. Something powerfully wrong with that picture, and unless something is done soon from the *inside*, pretty soon you're gonna see draconian regulations implemented by people from the *outside*, who will make Bledsoe look like your best friend. Of course, YMMV... -- Grayson, CCEMT-P www.kellygrayson.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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