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Christian,
The last study I'm aware of that compared accident rates, survival rates, and weather-related incident rates was in 1988 by the National Transportation Safety Board. It was entitled "Safety study commercial emergency medical service helicopter operations." It basically described an almost double rate for EMS versus air-taxi operations incidents, with triple the fatality rates. It was this study that led to many changes that made the industry safer (safety programs, recommendations on protective gear, etc.) There was also a great article in the early 90s on causes of airmed incidents, I think in the Journal of Airmedical Transportation (someone please correct me if it was in another), which detailed that the highest percentage of accidents was due to weather.
So, in answer, yes the rate is high comparatively to some other sectors of transportation, but it is unusual to see two condolence books open at the same time on flightweb.
On another note, does anyone have information on the ordering of the memorial wings that were designed after the University of Kentucky tragedy?
Jen Sullivan-Harris, RN, CEN
LifeStar - Killeen, TX