Wednesday, March 19, 2014

New look for our blog...

    We realized that the look didn't make it easy to read or navigate so we changed it up a little bit.  Let us know what you think or if you have some suggestions.  Hoping to get some more content posted for everybody.  It's just been tough while trying to fly and work the ground.  Promise it is coming soon.  We are working on trying to develop even more "departments" and give everybody something they would like to have.

    Our vision is big and when we get it together we think you will be happy with what we are working towards.  Make sure you give us your thoughts and comments.  The dream is to build what we all have been looking for.   A one stop location where you can find the resources you want and to make it a fun place to check out.


Thanks for you patience and your input,

Helicopter EMS

Pictures, Pictures, and more Pictures!!!

Make sure that you like the photos on our FB page to vote for the Picture to win the T-Shirt!!













Tuesday, March 18, 2014

New Monitor in service!!!

Super stoked to get the new monitor outfitted and deployed.  Really looking forward to getting to use this one in the field.  Seems to be so user friendly both in function and in weight!!  Have you had any experience with these and any suggestions or things to keep in mind?  




Compact and light weight, what a combination!  Thanks Boss we Love them!!

Here is a bright one for you!

This is pretty colorful!


Thanks David! Nice Picture!

Pretty Helicopter!!



Thanks David!

It's open enrollment time!!! What a Joke! It should be open your wallet time!!!

   I'm gonna start off by saying that I am sorry for what is probably going to be a rant of unseen proportions...  So, brace yourself and let me know if you feel in anyway the same as I do or should I just be happy to have a job and some insurance.

    We just got off of a webinair going over our NEW insurance.  OMG!!!  I am absolutely floored...  I mean our Premiums (and that is an understatement) have shot through the roof.  Not only have they gone up but, so have our deductibles and our out of pocket expenses. 
    
     My partners out of pocket expenses, because she lives in an out of network area, will be just short of half of her take home pay.  Mine aren't much better... You have to be kidding me!!  I thought that it was called the Affordable Care Act!!!   There is nothing affordable about this kind of health coverage... 

    Why do I have to pay incredibly high premiums and get substandard coverage?  Why is it that I have the most dangerous job in health care, short of being a combat medic and get the worst insurance?  Now lets talk about life insurance.  Yea, the company pays for it but, $100,000....  Really?  Are you kidding me?  That's all I'm worth to you?  I would hope that I generate several times that much in income for the company every year...  Even the military gets $400,000 (and not like that is even enough)...  Sure we can purchase more but, then because of the job we do the premium is through the roof and they cap how much we can get!  

    It is horrible for anybody not to have health insurance.  I have no problem paying a little more to help out those who are less fortunate than me.   But, who is it that came up with this kind of system.   I have to chose between contributing to my 401k or purchasing health insurance...  Oh, there isn't a chose, I have to buy insurance...  So, I can retire on my Social Security...  Ya, like that will be there when I get to retirement age.  

    Ok, now that I have that out of my system... Well, sort of but, not really.  I am sure that I have struck a couple of nerves out there.  By all means, let me have it...  Agree or disagree...  I am sure there are both sides out there.  Or at least I hope so.  I'd hate to feel like I am some sort of radical conservative mad man.  I mean come on I'm nowhere near as bad as Uncle Ted, right?

Here is picture of a North Florida ship!!

North Florida Ship.


Training, Training, Training!!! That's the way to do it!!!

Here's a good one!



A shot of AirLife GA 9


Sweet shoot!!!!


Thanks Molly!

And here comes another one!!

It's up to the you guys!!!!
Who will win!

So here you go!

Amanda just submitted this one!  


Don't forget to like your favorites!!

And Here comes another one!!

Let's here what you think!!  Love getting them!!!

Pictures are starting to roll in!!! You better hurry!! Deadline is March 31st....

So here is one sent in today!!!  Let's here what you think!!  I can't wait to ship out the first FREE T-shirt!!

Monday, March 17, 2014

Tristate Careflgiht 18 doing work in Gallup NM!!!!



Here is a picture submitted by Tristate Careflight 18 out of Gallup NM!  T-Shirts are being worked on along with Hats, and some stickers!!  Keep following us to get more information on availability!! Keep the pictures coming!!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Here is the Helicopter EMS T-Shirt prototype!



I am hoping that this is going to motivate some of you to start clicking away.  Remember the more pictures you send the better your chances to win!  I can't wait to get them in and put my mine on!




"For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

Thursday, March 13, 2014

So you want to win a free T-Shirt... Here's what you need to do..

Take an action shot, or just a posed shot of something EMS related.  We at Helicopter EMS always love the pictures of Helicopters(who doesn't) but, we want to see what you guys can come up with.  Be creative and use your imagination.  Now, with that said, always be respectful and remember if you win your name is going to be all over the web.  Above all, Have Fun!!  Send the pictures and videos to us at

helicopterems@gmail.com

Make sure to include your contact information so we can arrange to get your shirt to you as soon as we get them of the presses!



Here is our New Logo!!!


We are very excited about our new Logo and want to say thank you the Matt!  It is exactly what we where looking for.  Now that we have this the new T-shirt will be soon to follow.  Get your pictures and videos in to be the first to WIN yours free!



Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Looking for people interested in being interviewed for AMRM/CRM article.

If you are willing to participate in an interview for our up coming article on AMRM/CRM and have expertise in this area please send an email with your contact information to helicopterems@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!!

Fly Safe!!

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Another Scenic View from the Office Window Today!!!





Any idea where we are at???  Don't forget to send in your pictures and videos...  I am hoping to get enough from everybody to have a contest and offer an inaugural T-shirt once I can get a design figured out.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

“Dispatch, Go ahead and get a Helicopter started on this…”


  I have worked in several different types of EMS systems on nearly ever level throughout my career (27 plus yrs).  I have seen a big shift in how things are done, and, for the most part, it has been about improvement, providing better care and doing it in a timely manner. 

            With that being said, I have a question that has been spurred by some frustration on my part.  Please understand that this is just my anecdotal assessment and I am sure that there is a good reason why I have seen a hesitation to call for a helicopter to the scene.  I would like to hear from any and all of you out there.  It doesn’t matter to me what your level of training or experience is.  I don’t care if you are, like me, in your third decade of EMS or just starting your career, paid or volunteer, it doesn’t matter. Just tell me what goes into the decision to call for a helicopter where you work. 

             What I am saying is that I have seen countless times when there is a call for a significant trauma patient in a rural setting (some 30+ min response time) and the ambulance rolls out to the scene Code 3 (lights and siren).  Once on the scene, they realize that this is “really bad”.  Then they call for a helicopter and are given an ETA and decide to transport the patient or patients to the small local hospital, because the ETA of the helicopter/helicopters is about the same as the transport time to the small local hospital.   Then requiring transfer to a larger Trauma Facility and delaying definitive care.

            The next paragraph is just an example of several calls I have been involved with and not necessarily a particular one just representative of a particular type of scenario that seems to repeat itself.

            We have been put on stand-by and gone out to the helicopter with the rest of the crew waiting for the go, or no-go call.  Some 20-30 minutes later, we hear an ambulance running Code 3 by the airport where we are based.  We look at each other and shake our heads.  We could have been to the scene of the accident by this time.  We continue to wait to get the go or no go call.  Another 20 minutes goes by and then we are told to stand down.  We assume that the ambulance arrived to find the patient was not injured as bad as first thought.  After we go back inside we hear the ambulance returning in the other direction (again Code 3) another 20-30 minutes later.  We look at each other and again shake our heads.  Some more time passes and we get paged out for an inter-facility call from the local hospital to the nearest trauma facility.  After we arrive we find out that indeed this is the original patient we were put on stand-by for and then cancelled.  The patient is indeed “really bad” and probably won’t make it.  And the definitive care has been delayed not by minutes but, by over an hour.

I promise I am not a vulture who is trying to horn in on trauma calls.  I really just want to provide patients who are the unfortunate victims of some crazy accident the appropriate care for the injuries they have encountered.  This means getting them to the only cure for significant trauma.  A surgeon or team of surgeons and an operating room standing-by by the fastest means possible. I know what I would hope was done!

First, if you get sent out on something that is a long way from where you are posted or where the local hospital is and the incident is significant, or has the potential to be “really bad” why don’t responders request a helicopter right from the time they are dispatched?  Second, is it a state, local, service directed protocol or just dependent on the crew who is responding? 

I just want to conclude by saying that I am not trying to steal anybody’s thunder or generate more revenue for the company I work for.  I am just trying to figure out why people don’t try to move OUR patients to the right place as soon as possible.  If it was your family or loved one, what would you want the responders to do?