By Harrison Grimwood
The Muskogee Phoenix
MUSKOGEE, Okla. — A training session at a local distribution center provided a glimpse into the operations of air ambulance services.
David Iseley, a spokesman for Air Evac Lifeteam, presented a brief landing zone training Monday for employees of a local distribution company. Jason Moreau, vice president of A&B Distributors, said the training was requested as a precautionary measure.
“The paradigm we’ve created is picking up people where they’re in need,” Iseley said. “When we come out on scene, it is serious.”
Pilots of the company’s helicopters, which fly with a registered nurse and a paramedic aboard, aim to land as close as possible to any patient in need of transportation to a hospital or trauma center.
Before and during flight, dispatchers and pilots regularly update flight plans as needed to account for weather conditions, landing zone locations and the weight and balance of the aircraft.
When approaching an impromptu landing zone, pilots will make at least one orbit around for a final safety check before landing. The pilot, Iseley said during his presentation, must approve the approach of the aircraft at any location before it is completed — most times the crew will attempt to go to the person in need.
Recent closures of rural hospitals underscore the need for helicopter-based ambulances. Iseley said Air Evac is placing aircraft in rural areas, “where they’re needed the most,” specifically to address that need.
The only Level I trauma center in the state is located in Oklahoma City. The level-two trauma centers closest to Muskogee are St. Francis and St. John health systems in Tulsa.
According to the American Trauma Society, a Level I facility has the means to provide total care for every aspect of an injury, starting with prevention and up through rehabilitation. Level II facilities are able to initiate definitive care for all injured patients
Copyright 2016 the Muskogee Phoenix