Life Flight Life Flight Professional Professional

FlyFly--Along ProgramAlong Program

Iowa Health Iowa Health -- Des MoinesDes Moines

Iowa Methodist Medical Center Blank Children’s Hospital

Iowa Lutheran Hospital Methodist West Hospital

To improve the health of our communities To improve the health of our communities through excellence in air medical transport.through excellence in air medical transport.

Life Flight MissionLife Flight Mission

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

Life Flight Helicopter Program Life Flight Helicopter Program BackgroundBackground Specialty team configurationsSpecialty team configurations General Helicopter SafetyGeneral Helicopter Safety Emergency ProceduresEmergency Procedures Public Relations Public Relations HIPPAHIPPA

Objectives Objectives

Participants will be able to:Participants will be able to:–– Gain understanding of air medical transportGain understanding of air medical transport–– Understand hazards of hot loading/unloading of Understand hazards of hot loading/unloading of

patientspatients–– Understand the role of the FlyUnderstand the role of the Fly--Along participantAlong participant–– Discuss the unique teams associated with the Discuss the unique teams associated with the

Iowa Health Transport DepartmentIowa Health Transport Department

Life FlightLife Flight ““Pioneer of Helicopter Pioneer of Helicopter

TransportTransport”” starting in starting in July 1979July 1979

Central IowaCentral Iowa’’s 1s 1stst Air Air Ambulance ServiceAmbulance Service

Iowa Methodist Iowa Methodist Hospital, an Iowa Hospital, an Iowa Health Health -- Des Moines Des Moines HospitalHospital

Life Flight Specialty TeamsLife Flight Specialty Teams

•• Life Flight CrewLife Flight Crew•• Flight nurseFlight nurse•• Flight paramedicFlight paramedic•• Specialty teamsSpecialty teams

•• Pediatric Transport TeamPediatric Transport Team•• Dedicated teamDedicated team•• Specialized equipmentSpecialized equipment•• Only Pediatric Transport Team in Iowa to respond to Only Pediatric Transport Team in Iowa to respond to scene requestsscene requests

•• Neonatal Transport TeamNeonatal Transport Team•• Dedicated neonatal transport specialistsDedicated neonatal transport specialists•• Specialized neonatal equipmentSpecialized neonatal equipment

American American EurocopterEurocopter ECEC--145145

Helicopter Helicopter Specifications:Specifications:–– Maximum cruise flight Maximum cruise flight

speed 145 knots speed 145 knots (167 mph)(167 mph)

–– More spacious cabinMore spacious cabin Improved patient accessImproved patient access Able to complete double Able to complete double

patient transportpatient transport Expanded specialty team Expanded specialty team

capabilitiescapabilities

American American EurocopterEurocopter ECEC--145145–– Can fly visual or Can fly visual or

instrument flight rulesinstrument flight rules On board weather radarOn board weather radar

–– Night vision goggle Night vision goggle integrationintegration

General Helicopter SafetyGeneral Helicopter Safety

““HotHot”” loadingloading–– Loading the aircraft with the engine running and Loading the aircraft with the engine running and

blades turningblades turning–– Routine for scene flightsRoutine for scene flights

““ColdCold”” loadingloading–– Loading the aircraft when it is completely shut Loading the aircraft when it is completely shut

downdown–– Routine for hospital to hospital flightsRoutine for hospital to hospital flights

““HotHot”” Loading EC 145Loading EC 145

HazardsHazards–– NoiseNoise–– Tail rotorTail rotor–– Blowing objectsBlowing objects–– Loose sheets/linensLoose sheets/linens–– HatsHats–– IV polesIV poles

““HotHot”” Loading ProceduresLoading Procedures Never approach the aircraft without a member of the Life Never approach the aircraft without a member of the Life

Flight crewFlight crew

Never approach the aircraft without making visual contact Never approach the aircraft without making visual contact with the pilotwith the pilot

Never approach the aircraft without permission from the Never approach the aircraft without permission from the pilotpilot

Allow Life Flight team to direct loading and unloading of Allow Life Flight team to direct loading and unloading of equipment and patients at all timesequipment and patients at all times

““HotHot”” Loading ProceduresLoading Procedures Secure all loose items such as hats, sheets, mattresses Secure all loose items such as hats, sheets, mattresses

and suppliesand supplies

DO NOT chase any items blown toward the helicopterDO NOT chase any items blown toward the helicopter

Protect your eyes from blowing debris during takeoff and Protect your eyes from blowing debris during takeoff and landinglanding

Wear hearing protection when working around running Wear hearing protection when working around running aircraftaircraft

““HotHot”” Loading ProceduresLoading Procedures

Do not open or close Do not open or close doors of aircraftdoors of aircraft–– Life Flight crew will Life Flight crew will

operate all doorsoperate all doors

No smoking around No smoking around helicopterhelicopter

““HotHot”” Loading ProceduresLoading Procedures

Tail Rotor ProtectionTail Rotor Protection–– Life Flight crew will Life Flight crew will

assign one person to assign one person to protect tail rotorprotect tail rotor

–– This person will be This person will be placed at the placed at the front front of of the aircraftthe aircraft Minimum of 50 feet awayMinimum of 50 feet away Between 3 and 9 oBetween 3 and 9 o’’clock clock

positionposition In pilotIn pilot’’s views view

““HotHot”” Loading ProceduresLoading Procedures Patient loadingPatient loading

–– Only approach the aircraft Only approach the aircraft with a Life Flight crew with a Life Flight crew membermember

–– Assist with loading as Assist with loading as directed by crewdirected by crew

–– Only leave the aircraft with a Only leave the aircraft with a Life Flight crew member Life Flight crew member

–– EMS crew might be EMS crew might be assigned as tail rotor guardassigned as tail rotor guard This person will be placed This person will be placed

at the at the rear rear of the aircraftof the aircraft

Tail Rotor Guard

““ColdCold”” Loading ProceduresLoading Procedures

Generally for hospital Generally for hospital to hospital flightsto hospital flights

Do not approach Do not approach aircraft until it is aircraft until it is completely shut down completely shut down and blades have and blades have stopped turningstopped turning

““ColdCold”” Loading ProceduresLoading Procedures

Wait to approach until Wait to approach until directed by Life Flight directed by Life Flight crewcrew

ECEC--145 no longer 145 no longer requires a stretcher requires a stretcher from the facilityfrom the facility

Life Flight crew will Life Flight crew will operate all doorsoperate all doors

Importance of HIPPAImportance of HIPPA

Life Flight must take precautions to ensure Life Flight must take precautions to ensure that a patientthat a patient’’s Protected Health Information s Protected Health Information is protected and communicated to others is protected and communicated to others strictly on a strictly on a ““need to know basisneed to know basis””..

The FlyThe Fly--Along participant must complete Along participant must complete required forms to ensure patient privacy.required forms to ensure patient privacy.

EvaluationEvaluation

You will be asked to complete an You will be asked to complete an evaluation at the end of your shift. evaluation at the end of your shift.