A big thumbs up to the HEMS crew involved in the retrieval of retired F1 driver Michael Schumacher from the ski fields a few days ago.
Reports in the media suggest that from the time of the incident, he had Paramedics on scene within 2 minutes, a HEMS crew on scene in 8 minutes and was in hospital 10 minutes later. (if anyone can clarify those times please do)
From my perspective as a Flight Paramedic and EMS pilot, that time-frame is an outstanding example of both the positive contribution of the helicopter to minimising delays from injury to definitive care, and also of the excellent standards of clinical judgement for the clinicians who resisted the temptation to faf about at the scene but got the guy to a critical care facility in the most expeditious manner. Some of the systems in Australia could learn from this example!
Well done that team.
