[Scan-DC] Arlington setting up landing zone

[michael rumberg]

I did a ride-along with the Fairfax helo last year for an entire 12 hour shift and learned quite a bit.  

 

Of course this relates to FCPD - but probably not a bad bet to assume the other providers are very similar:

 

The helos are called out because: 

   1.  the paramedics on the helos are trained to MUCH higher level and are authorized to perform procedures and administer drugs that the ground paramedics cannot.  This makes an enormous difference in that even if it took an extra 5 minutes to use the helo (which it doesnt), the higher level care adds much more time to the "golden hour."  

 

  2.  the helo is ridiculously faster transport - the helo can get to the hospital way before a ground unit.  The FCPD helo can go from Reston to Mount Vernon in less than 5 minutes.  As the crow flies 30 mph is WAY faster than an average speed of 60 mph on the ground.  And quite frankly, an ambulance even after going on the beltway, will never actually get anywhere near a true average speed for the entire trip at 60mph - even if there really is "no traffic" on sunday afternoon.  

 

real example:  we did one call for a 1 am car wreck in Reston where the patient was transported to Inova Fairfax.  As the helo only holds 3 others with a patient (see below for configuration) I had to get a ride from a cop to the hospital to meet up with the helo again.  With "no traffic" and police lights it took more than 10 minutes to do the tollroad to 495  and then to Gallows Road to the ER.  Anyone familiar with the area knows we were going a little faster than 65....  but by the time I got there the helo crew had already delivered the patient, flirted with the nurses, restocked the helo, and were waiting for my arrival with coffee in hand.  

 

  3.  the helo with the advanced medical care can often respond faster than the closest available ALS ground unit.

 

 

I dont remember all the protocall for selecting when to use the helo - but they said they will get called out with falls over 7 feet because of potential head injury.  so if the lady fell into rocks and was bleeding about the face and head there was significant reason to believe severe head injury was likely (think Liam Neeson's wife).

 

The helo is definitely small - there are 4 seats and 3 people on each flight - the pilot (right seat) and the observer (left seat) in front and the flight medic (left rear).  When a patient is transported the left seat is folded down to form the "gurney" and the left officer moves to the 

right rear which is why I had to catch a ride from a cop.

 

so, sometimes it may seem the helo is extravagant - but it is not.

 

 
> From: w4jecom at w4je.com
> To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Sun, 10 May 2009 18:19:22 -0400
> Subject: [Scan-DC] Arlington setting up landing zone
> 
> For a working code for a 70-year-old woman who fell down some rocks at the 
> dog park at Arlington Mill and Four Mile Run. Landing zone is Wakefield HS.
> 
> I still don't understand the concept of helicopters when you're in the 
> middle of a darn city. And it's Sunday afternoon. No traffic. They could be 
> at the hospital faster by ambulance. 
> 
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