[Scan-DC] Medevac helo tail numbers

[Bruce Harper]

At 1:52 PM -0500 12/13/05, Alan Henney you wrote:
>Can anybody provide N-tail numbers for any of the medevac helicopters
>in Virginia including MedSTAR?  I'm trying to compile a list.

I don't have the numbers you are looking for, but I'll keep an eye out.  In the wilds of Southwest Virginia, we have two medevac services operating, Carilion and HealthNet Aeromedical Services.

HealthNet is now operating a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 out of Bluefield, WVa. and offering service into Southwest Virginia.  Service to Pulaski Community Hospital started in November. 

Carilion, long-time operator of LifeGuard-10 out of Roanoke, added LifeGuard-11 (a Eurocopter 135) back in February to fill a need further to the southwest. According to the Roanoke Times article, "The aircraft will be operated by LifeNet, a division of Air Methods, and staffed by CPTS, which will provide critical-care trained flight nurses and paramedics."  The article says LifeGuard-11 will be based in the Wythe/Smyth County area, which pretty much means Mountain Empire Airport at Groseclose.

HealthNet is trying to establish standard frequencies for ground contacts.  Someone let a domain name expire, so I pulled this article from Google's cache (http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:qeE49QmsMBcJ:www.healthnetwv.org/news.cfm%3Ffunc%3Dfullstory%26storyid%3D32+&hl=en):

Designated Ground Contact Frequencies To Simplify Response
- October 18, 2005

Effective communications with ground based emergency services agencies is critical to safe helicopter operations. HealthNet Aeromedical Services has a new approach that will simplify the process.
     
       HealthNet has a nearly twenty year history of excellence in critical care patient transportation. This history extends to our communications program as well. The relationship we have built with our regions emergency services providers and 911 centers has led to vast improvements in service delivery to our patients.
     
       As we look toward our 20th anniversary, we will implement a program that will enhance radio communications with ground agencies. The assistance of emergency personnel and 911 communicators/administrators in this effort will be critical.
     
       We are completing a most successful pilot program in Mason County, West Virginia where frequencies known as Aeromed 1 and Aeromed 2 are consistently used for air to ground communications at accident scenes. Aeromed 1 is a VHF frequency (155.400/110.9 Transmit PL/Open Receive PL) and Aeromed 2 is a UHF frequency (467.975/151.4 Transmit PL/Open Receive PL). We request that each 911 center, EMS, fire and police agencies work together to implement this communications plan. In many cases, one of these two frequencies will already be programmed in vehicle or portable radios. As reprogramming occurs, we ask that radios be checked for these frequencies and that they are added as necessary. Please identify the alphanumeric displays as Aeromed 1 and Aeromed 2 where appropriate.
     
       Be assured, our flight teams will continue to respond to emergencies in your community and communicate with local agencies on any assigned frequency during the transition period. We understand that this may be a long process. It is our hope that as time progresses that we will see increased use of Aeromed 1 and 2 for ground contact at scenes and that communication will be improved and simplified.
     
       If you have questions regarding this communications plan, please contact Clinton Burley, Manager of HealthNet's Huntington base. He can be reached at 304-526-2324 or by email, clinton.burley at chhi.org .

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Bruce in Blacksburg

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Bruce B. Harper          KB4GIW       bharper at vt.edu           
2508 Manchester Street                (540)552-0683 - home
Blacksburg, Virginia  26060           (540)231-4360 - work