Hell-mets and bad hair days

[Ken Lawson-Williams <Macgyver@FlightMedicMail.com>]

So what about PPE for those in the fixed wing community? What is the consensus about their wearing of helmets?" After all, the CAATS and NFPA positions are clear that they should be worn by all EMS flight crews, along with Nomex and leather boots with steel toes.

In my current program we don't have helmets available to us, nor headsets, only the pilots get those. Other programs do have headsets, but usually with no link to the pilots intercom, only to a secondary radio on EMS freq's. (We have to do with just ear plugs, and no radio, as no EMS radio system exists in our service area of the western Arctic). However when with the Canadian military, whenever we took a Twin Otter into an off-strip landing, be it ice/snow, water, tundra or any non maintained surface, flight crew all wore helmets. Otherwise, just headsets. Something to do with headstrikes into the interior surfaces / cargo and the unpredictability of the degree (or lack thereof) of smoothness in the landing / takeoff.

Simelarly with Nomex. Military crews (until Kosovo) didn't even get Nomex. Many Tac-Hel crews and some F-18 jocks wore US nomex flightsuits without permission from the brass until word got out and public presssure forced squadron CO's to authorise it. Civilian fixed wing - never seen nomex worn as uniform issue anywhere in Canada. Just personal upgrade by individuals.

Leather steel toed boots? great on ground, but in fixed wing - worn mainly by crews who also have ground responsibilities. In the Arctic, no-one wears them - your toes will get frozen. Instead black nylon mukluks with double layered heavy wool duffle socks / 85%+ thick wool socks / thin polypro socks (Acton, cive version of white army issue, good to -100 on paper, -50 in reality for most people when not moving and generating heat).

And as to helmet hair - it ain't nothing compared to toque-head. After a 13 hour mission in a twin otter to a bush camp in the tundra mid-winter with no chance to remove it (cabin temp remains below freezing if outside temp is below -30 or so) you can pretty much kiss fashion and style goodbye!!

Ken L-W, one of the Frozen Chosen since '95 and having a blast anyway...

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