Press Release Source:
Rhoann Ponseti
Director of Marketing
REACH

A helicopter operated by REACH Air Medical Services was incorrectly reported as having caught fire on the helipad of Shasta Regional Medical Center in Redding.

During the engine start up procedure, the number two engine failed to initially start. In accordance with the aircraft's standard operating procedure, the pilot followed the sequence for restarting the number two engine. During the restart, fuel, which had accumulated in the aircraft's engine start up chamber during the initial start up attempt, was ignited and burned off thus emitting a momentary flame from the engine's exhaust system. The aircraft did not experience an engine fire and there was no damage to the aircraft or any part of the hospital.

In reviewing the events of the incident, it appears the hospital's helipad fire suppression system identified the momentary flame as a potential fire, and therefore activated the automatic fire suppression system accordingly. Upon activation of the fire suppression system the pilot immediately shutdown and secured the aircraft.

Following the incident, aircraft mechanics inspected the aircraft. After finding no internal or external damage, the aircraft was restarted and flown to the Redding airport for further maintenance inspection

REACH (CA) is profiled in this article.

Bristol, UK, 26 March 2008 – Air medical crew have a new, confidential source of expert advice. Waypoint AirMed & Rescue magazine is inviting aeromedical crew to send in their burning questions for responses from industry experts such as CCAT course director Dr Terry Martin, who writes on the whys and wherefores of cabin pressurisation in issue 1, available from the Waypoint website by free download. Questions can be sent to the magazine by email or through the dedicated Ask the Experts page on the Waypoint website, and anonymity is assured to those who request it. Everything you always wanted to know about air medicine, but were too afraid to ask!

About Waypoint AirMed & Rescue Magazine
Waypoint AirMed & Rescue magazine covers all aspects of both rotary and fixed-wing air ambulance services. With an international focus, the magazine has a mix of news, analysis and features, with dedicated sections for providers, pilots, medical crew, commercial carriers, maintenance and cutting-edge technology. Published on a quarterly basis, the magazine is available through the Waypoint website by subscription or free download.

Contact:
James Wallis
Title editor
Voyageur Publishing and Events Ltd
Phone: +44 (0)117 929 4636
Fax: +44 (0)117 925 2040
Email: editor@waypointmagazine.com
www.waypointmagazine.com

Life Flight Network, LLC is expanding its 30-year presence in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area to the Southern Willamette Valley and Columbia River Gorge to bring life-saving medical helicopter service to all communities within range of its new bases of operation.

Bristol, UK, 26 February 2008 – A new magazine has been launched to cater for the air medical community. Waypoint AirMed & Rescue was launched this week by Voyageur Publishing, and aims to cover all aspects of both rotary and fixed-wing air ambulance services. With an international focus, the magazine has a mix of news, analysis and features, with dedicated sections for providers, pilots, medical crew, commercial carriers, maintenance and cutting-edge technology.

Press Release Source:
Ella Crowley
Chief Flight Nurse
Lifeguard Alaska

For Immediate Release
Contact: Gordon Hinkle

October 23, 2007
Phone: (916) 786-5560

PRESS RELEASE

October 7, 2007; BLANDING, UTAH – Additional information regarding the October 4, 2007 Eagle Air Med accident involving N590GM and its crew is now available along with photographs of the crew.

Pilot, Ric Miller was from Wenatchee, Washington. He was 46 years old and was a full time pilot. Ric had never had an accident, incident, or a violation in his 22 years of flying experience. He completed additional simulator training in August of 2007. He held helicopter and fixed wing pilot certificates and was Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) rated. Ric had over 12,000 hours of logged flight time as Pilot In Command (PIC), 2,400 hours of which was with the US Marine Corps reserve.

Flight Nurse Ronnie Helton was from Birmingham AL. He was 25 years old and was also a full time employee with Eagle Air Med. Ronnie had been an intensive care nurse for 3 years.

Flight Paramedic Dana Dedman was from Chinle, Arizona. He was 32 years old and was a full time employee. He had been employed with Eagle Air Med for more than two years. Dana had been a critical care paramedic for 4 years.

At 10pm, October 4, 2007, Eagle Air Med received a patient transport request. The crew departed Chinle, AZ at 10:35 pm heading to Alamosa, CO to pick up a patient. The pilot performed a routine contact with the Communications Center via satellite at 10:55 pm and relayed an estimated arrival time in Alamosa of 11:30 pm. At 11:45 pm, the Communications Center initiated emergency procedures to locate the aircraft. Numerous attempts were made to contact the aircraft. Ramp checks were performed at many airports along the flight path. Eagle Air Med administrators were notified of the missing aircraft and the Director of Operations contacted the FAA, NTSB, and Search and Rescue. The company suspended all flight activities for safety purposes until further notice.

At this time, it is unknown if weather was a factor in the accident. A VFR flight plan was filed with the Communications Center. All Eagle Air Med pilots receive detailed training upon initial hire and annually on weather flying, local terrain, and aeronautical decision making. Pilots also attend annual simulator training, and they receive check-rides from an FAA Approved Check Airman every six months. Each morning, weather is evaluated by all crews through briefings and the pilots evaluate weather immediately prior to each flight.

At this time, it is also unknown if there was a mechanical problem. There were no contacts or signs of distress from the pilot to the Communications Center. The contact with the Communications Center was via satellite at 10:55 pm.

Prior to this accident, Eagle Air Med has never experienced a fatal accident in its history of providing air medical services.

The NTSB is beginning an investigation on Monday, October 8. Recovery efforts from local agencies, including the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, took place Saturday and Sunday. The remains were moved to Alamosa, CO then to Durango, CO for autopsies. All families have been notified. Funeral arrangements and memorial service schedules are being coordinated at this time. A Critical Stress Debriefing with other Eagle Air Med crews was held Saturday.

Air medical services will resume when pilots, medical crews and others are prepared to return to service. Director of Operations will perform a proficiency check, a debriefing and further evaluations with all pilot personnel prior to them returning to service. Some air medical services may resume Monday, October 8.

PRESS RELEASE October 5, 2007; BLANDING, UTAH – Yesterday, at approximately 11:25 PM an Eagle Air Med aircraft crashed 25 miles southwest of Alamosa, Colorado. Ric Miller, Pilot; Dana Dedman, Flight Paramedic and Ronnie Helton, Flight Nurse perished in the accident.

The aircraft, a King Air C90B, failed to arrive at the Alamosa airport as scheduled and air and ground searches were immediately coordinated with federal, state and local agencies as well as much needed assistance from neighboring air medical operators. The crash site was located at approximately 3:45 PM the following day.

Our most humble and sincere condolences and regret go out to the families in mourning. Our hearts are broken, we have lost friends, coworkers and part of our family – a family that is now pulling together to get through this difficult time.

Our thanks goes out to all those involved in the search and rescue project.

We are cooperating fully with the FAA, NTSB and other federal, state and local government agencies.

I, Dick Johnson submit the following as a citizen/consumer in Maryland who has on a grassroots level petitioned the Maryland legilature for a Pubilc and Private aeromedical partnerships. Public and Private aeromedical agencies need to cooperate in order to obtain the most efficient coverage for Maryland Citizens.

I have created a web site: www.medevacmdsurcharge.com. Home Page, the issues, Audio covering legislative hearings and exhibits.

Maryland's Medevac System and MVA Surcharge A Promise Broken, is a first in a series which addresses the ever increasing State taxes, MVA Surcharge, Surcharge to Augument the MVA Surcharge and the Flawed Governance Structure of Maryland's Trauma/EMS Systems.

Exhibits on the web site also includes State auditor reports covering the Maryland state Police Aviation Command, emails, Examples: Maryland State Police admission crashing their helicopter into the wall of the R Adams Cowley shock trauma Center and Our Mission is ALS not Critical Care.

Also, I have expressed in writting to the Maryland legislature, what appears to be Maryland State Police Aviation Command's faulty maintenance tail section broken off, helicopter door falling off and a $788,000.00 helicopter crash, it is not the helicopter. Helicopter maintenance in a down-spiral.

Legislative Audios: Maryland State Police Aviation Command, very poor response times, response time getting longer, No show to a scene delayed in calling commercial helicopter 2 patients expire at the scene and one airlifted by a commercial helicopter, non-emergency flights and the majority of medevacs are nonlife-thretening injury flights, etc, etc.

This grassroots citizen over the past 22 years has researched Maryland's EMS/Trayuma systems. What I have found, is that Maryland's legislature and those in power to sway policies are intoxicated in HYPE and PR left over from the R Adams Cowely era, What is frightening is that they belive in their HYPE and PR. The 1970's and 80's have come and gone. EMS and Trauma medicne is part of every day medicne period.