HEMS Activation times
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Europe
HEMS Activation times
In my part of the world (Multi Engine EMS) we are expected to be airborne (not engine start) within six minutes of receiving the first call of activation for primary emergency flights. In my opinion this is dangerously short, is this normal for other countries?
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: foot of a mountain
We are 5 minutes(single engine ops with b3/b4). We have looked at various ways off optimising the time to include a proper walk around, chk oil levels etc. We convinced our clients to change the wording to "strive to be airborne within 5 min but the contract requires within 10 min". Maybe it was made easier as we could use the argument that alll our operating basis are on airports subject to ATC clearance. We now basically operate practically to pre start checks within 5 min.
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Kill Box 85CJ
Launch times
My pet peeve. 
When I worked EMS some nurses would throw a s#@! fit if we were not off the ground in 6 minutes. I think it is just management induced self imposed stress. Never get in a rush or you might fly away with a battery cart for a sling load 
Fly safe
When I worked EMS some nurses would throw a s#@! fit if we were not off the ground in 6 minutes. I think it is just management induced self imposed stress. Never get in a rush or you might fly away with a battery cart for a sling load Fly safe
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: EGDC
VP - if you have already done a walkround and checked the oil levels then, when you get a shout, why should you want to waste time doing it again? EMS or SAR aircraft should be prepped and ready to go so that you can strap in and start up.
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: USA
Therein lies the rub. EMS aircraft are NOT on a life saving mission. They are transporting passengers ,just like any other charter operation. If we ,a s pilots, get that into our system we would save ourselves and others a lot of grief.
Alt3.
Alt3.
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Scotland
@alouette3: That is definitely wrong.
In rural areas the HEMS is on live saving missions. Not every time but sometimes.
Call to airborne in 4 minutes. First thing in the morning you do your preflight checks and a short ground-run with system checks and everything is safe and according to the book, also in a rush.
In rural areas the HEMS is on live saving missions. Not every time but sometimes.Call to airborne in 4 minutes. First thing in the morning you do your preflight checks and a short ground-run with system checks and everything is safe and according to the book, also in a rush.
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: foot of a mountain
Crab, we do 2-3 flights a day and over weekends 1 can be a mountain and/ sea rescue in between transfers/mva's/etc. During the aircraft on ground time at base we have rescue and/or ambulance staff repacking and replenishing their jumpbags/rescue equipment/running out the hoist/checking the cargo slings/engineers rechecking all good/aircarft being washed after sea exposure or it's 2 daily wash. We have an aircraft landing, starting refuelling and replenishing and within 5 min after shutting down a different call comes. We need to do between flight, clean/sterilise and prepare aircraft for next mission. It may only be a Squirrel, but I would rather know eveybody checked everything before I select "Idle" than wondering later. Thus we decided to convince the clients to give us the extra time dependant on situation. Bare in mind our next flight can be anything from a mountain/ sea rescue to a 1.5hr/per leg trauma transfer. The platform can do it easily with propper planning and checking-isn't a couple of minutes worth it?
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From: USA
Spencer17:
I am at a rural location. When we get a hospital transfer request, it is because a rural hospital is in way over its head with a patient and they need the patient to be flown to a larger hospital in a metro.
The fact of the matter is the call for a helicopter goes out a few hours after the patient shows up at their doorstep.After that if I launch in 5 minutes or 15 is not going to make a life or death scenario. After all what happens if I can't go due to weather?They will stick him in an ambulance and send him on a 2 hour trip anyway. I do agree that I can reduce the time I take. Preflight, log book check,weather,WAT checks etc can be done and canned. But there are certain things theat HAVE to be done prior to lift:external power disconnected, baggage stowed,tie downs removed and then there is the check list to be done completely, thoroughly and wthout distraction.Being single pilot, I have a flow memorised for start and use my check list as a "Do and Verify" list rather than a "To Do" list.All told, it takes me about 8 minutes to pull pitch. If you are in a twin it might take longer but it has to be done right everytime all the time to avoid trying to launch off a rooftop with one engine in idle.
My point is , our actions should not be dictated by patient considerations but by the fact that we fly helicopters for a living and not, to save lives.
If there is a scene call the only thing I cut out of my launch procedure is GPS programming. I launch on a bearing and distance. Settle down at cruise, get the lat. longs. and program as I go. That is the only concession I make for the perceived "urgency" of a scene call.
Alt3.
I am at a rural location. When we get a hospital transfer request, it is because a rural hospital is in way over its head with a patient and they need the patient to be flown to a larger hospital in a metro.
The fact of the matter is the call for a helicopter goes out a few hours after the patient shows up at their doorstep.After that if I launch in 5 minutes or 15 is not going to make a life or death scenario. After all what happens if I can't go due to weather?They will stick him in an ambulance and send him on a 2 hour trip anyway. I do agree that I can reduce the time I take. Preflight, log book check,weather,WAT checks etc can be done and canned. But there are certain things theat HAVE to be done prior to lift:external power disconnected, baggage stowed,tie downs removed and then there is the check list to be done completely, thoroughly and wthout distraction.Being single pilot, I have a flow memorised for start and use my check list as a "Do and Verify" list rather than a "To Do" list.All told, it takes me about 8 minutes to pull pitch. If you are in a twin it might take longer but it has to be done right everytime all the time to avoid trying to launch off a rooftop with one engine in idle.
My point is , our actions should not be dictated by patient considerations but by the fact that we fly helicopters for a living and not, to save lives.
If there is a scene call the only thing I cut out of my launch procedure is GPS programming. I launch on a bearing and distance. Settle down at cruise, get the lat. longs. and program as I go. That is the only concession I make for the perceived "urgency" of a scene call.
Alt3.
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: EGDC
VP, we do the same, day and night, VMC or IMC - our required response is 15 mins 0800 - 2200 and 45 mins 2200 to 0800. If the engineers have serviced the aircraft after one job I'm not about to waste time checking oil levels before launching on the next one.
However if it is neccessary to exceed response time in order to do the job safely then we will take any flak that comes and make that decision.
But it is also possible for us to get airborne in under 5 mins from the call if we have to.
However if it is neccessary to exceed response time in order to do the job safely then we will take any flak that comes and make that decision.
But it is also possible for us to get airborne in under 5 mins from the call if we have to.
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Philadelphia PA
My limited civil and military experience was that we were never 'late' getting to a scene - there was always a long period sitting on the ground while things got organized, etc.
The only exception was when we got called out to remote areas where the ambulances couldn't get to quickly, or where there wasn't already someone taking care of immediate first aid. But these were not the majority of the calls.
Even then, I doubt that there's more than a couple of percent of patients for whom the time of arrival of the helicopter is critical for survival.
(Does anyone have any stats on this?)
What difference would a couple of minutes later make to the whole thing?
Don't rush the checks, don't rush anything - go as fast as you can when airborne, but if you're a minute or three late getting off the ground and safe, it's better than on time departure, but not prepared.
Do you see the airlines hurrying their checks when they're late? And they have a lot more money tied up in being on time than the EMS business.
The only exception was when we got called out to remote areas where the ambulances couldn't get to quickly, or where there wasn't already someone taking care of immediate first aid. But these were not the majority of the calls.
Even then, I doubt that there's more than a couple of percent of patients for whom the time of arrival of the helicopter is critical for survival.
(Does anyone have any stats on this?)
What difference would a couple of minutes later make to the whole thing?
Don't rush the checks, don't rush anything - go as fast as you can when airborne, but if you're a minute or three late getting off the ground and safe, it's better than on time departure, but not prepared.
Do you see the airlines hurrying their checks when they're late? And they have a lot more money tied up in being on time than the EMS business.
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: UK
From Crabs present base, (Chivenor UK) but in the mid '80's, we did an 8 minute, (telephone call to landing back at base with the casualty) wet rescue; an exhausted swimmer out of the River Taw.
It was in a Wessex however, not a Seaking!
These days (UK HEMS) we lift in about 2-3 minutes from the call, but no one is counting.
It was in a Wessex however, not a Seaking!
These days (UK HEMS) we lift in about 2-3 minutes from the call, but no one is counting.
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: US
Alt3
I completely agree with your approach. Life saving mission or not, I am not about to become a victim by letting anyone urge me in to rushing and making mistakes. Once the pushing starts, though not often at all, I start pushing back, AND, slowing down.
Some mistakes are not forgiving, and forever; and can take others right along.
WIII
I completely agree with your approach. Life saving mission or not, I am not about to become a victim by letting anyone urge me in to rushing and making mistakes. Once the pushing starts, though not often at all, I start pushing back, AND, slowing down.
Some mistakes are not forgiving, and forever; and can take others right along.
WIII
Joined: May 2008
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From: Middle of the Pacific
Oil, fluid and O2 levels are checked in advance of our flight requests, however, I will never board the aircraft without doing a 360 walk around.
I have no idea whether somebody has tampered with the aircraft, or run into it with a vehicle, or a perhaps a mechanic forgot to lock a cam fastener, or a medical crewmember plugged an extension cord in or left the baggage door unlocked, or sombody walked under the tailboom and broke an antenna.
Of course you have to do a walk around. And "strive" should be the most that any of us offers a customer.
I have no idea whether somebody has tampered with the aircraft, or run into it with a vehicle, or a perhaps a mechanic forgot to lock a cam fastener, or a medical crewmember plugged an extension cord in or left the baggage door unlocked, or sombody walked under the tailboom and broke an antenna.
Of course you have to do a walk around. And "strive" should be the most that any of us offers a customer.
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Over here
I always do a walkaround, no matter what. It doesn't take long, less than a minute, but I always walk competely around the aircraft. If the patient dies because I take an extra 30 seconds to make sure nothing has gone wrong with the aircraft, then the patient was going to die anyway. I don't waste time, but I never hurry. Hurrying will get you hurt. I take off when I'm ready, not before.
Joined: May 2006
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From: Oz
I refuse to rush and always walkaround, especially after I screwed up once after rushing. We are given 20 mins VFR and 30 mins IFR (SP IFR in a 412), SAR jobs often need 45 mins. In eight years I've never seen a job that response time made a significant differance. Any med crew should be told to butt out with respect to response times.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 221
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From: Somewhere, Over the Rainbow
After a pilot of ours did a face plant trying to leap the barriers around our pad in a single stride, and a bird took off with an engine plug still installed (landed after the gauges hit the red, then tried again and ended up nearly balling it up), we adopted the philosophy of "slow is smooth, and smooth is fast", something I had heard before.. We had twins and were operating in Iraq, launching routinely in 6-7 minutes. Worked out well.
Oh and we left the tiedowns off then as well. Walkaround always, which included a peek into the intakes. Never had a problem.
Mike
Oh and we left the tiedowns off then as well. Walkaround always, which included a peek into the intakes. Never had a problem.
Mike
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 253
Likes: 8
From: the land of redemption
hems & sar in Italy
Hello,
About Hems in Italy we perform as follows:
a) 3 minutes take off (from call to t/o although time is flexible) for primary flights in daytime sunrise-30min to sunset+30min, weather conditions permitting.
b) Time required for planing mission for secondary flights (e.g.: hospital to hospital transfers) in daytime or nightime; usually you don't go over 30 minutes.
Prerequisites are:
1) the heading contractor of HEMS system is the government.
2) all we are flying twin engines operated by private air transport operators.
3) crews are alwais close to the helicopter in duty time and it is supposed they perform checks when starting their service.
4) night service is unaided with two pilots. Day time may be single or two pilots.
5) the medical system requires 3 min because of the "stay and play" approach to the emergency. We have 1 reanimation anaesthesist and 1 reanimation nurse on board, paid by the contractor.
6) due to lack of remote areas and plenty of moutain areas (Alps & Appennine) of some high, usually HEMS merges and overlaps with SAR; so we have medic/nurse crew members using hoist in certain rough countys.
Maeroda
About Hems in Italy we perform as follows:
a) 3 minutes take off (from call to t/o although time is flexible) for primary flights in daytime sunrise-30min to sunset+30min, weather conditions permitting.
b) Time required for planing mission for secondary flights (e.g.: hospital to hospital transfers) in daytime or nightime; usually you don't go over 30 minutes.
Prerequisites are:
1) the heading contractor of HEMS system is the government.
2) all we are flying twin engines operated by private air transport operators.
3) crews are alwais close to the helicopter in duty time and it is supposed they perform checks when starting their service.
4) night service is unaided with two pilots. Day time may be single or two pilots.
5) the medical system requires 3 min because of the "stay and play" approach to the emergency. We have 1 reanimation anaesthesist and 1 reanimation nurse on board, paid by the contractor.
6) due to lack of remote areas and plenty of moutain areas (Alps & Appennine) of some high, usually HEMS merges and overlaps with SAR; so we have medic/nurse crew members using hoist in certain rough countys.
Maeroda
Joined: Apr 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 10,959
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From: EGDC
I guess some of you guys just don't trust your engineers then - I know I can strap in and start without doing a walkround on a scramble. A cursory 360 wander round the aircraft is a waste of time, you either do a complete pre-flight or don't bother at all - it is like chanting a mantra "I've walked around the aircraft so everything must be OK".
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Can't agree, Crab. Never take the quick way to the cockpit door. A panel left unlatched can kill, and has done.
Secondly, being still in the mob, you have always led a sheltered life with "engineers" to do your aircraft level checks and replens etc and someone else to sign as having checked. Not everyone has those luxuries. I'm not in a life saving role these days but often the need to get airborne can still be pressing. I have no-one to do stuff for me these days so no-one but me should open any panels once the aircraft is out on the tarmac. But it has been known for some helpful soul to open and not shut. Also, I might get interrupted in mid-check and forget something, so a final pre launch look-around gets done every time as far as I'm concerned.
Secondly, being still in the mob, you have always led a sheltered life with "engineers" to do your aircraft level checks and replens etc and someone else to sign as having checked. Not everyone has those luxuries. I'm not in a life saving role these days but often the need to get airborne can still be pressing. I have no-one to do stuff for me these days so no-one but me should open any panels once the aircraft is out on the tarmac. But it has been known for some helpful soul to open and not shut. Also, I might get interrupted in mid-check and forget something, so a final pre launch look-around gets done every time as far as I'm concerned.