By Isadora Vail
Austin American-Statesman
Copyright 2007 The Austin American-Statesman
All Rights Reserved
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas — A thousand feet in the air, Brian McCarley works in a flying emergency room.
It is a revamped black and yellow BK117 helicopter called STAT AIR 2 that is equipped with a ventilator, a cardiac monitor, multiple intravenous pumps and equipment to help premature babies. The helicopter is based near the Georgetown airport and is staffed by an eight-member emergency medical team that includes pilots, nurses and paramedics.
Helicopter service isn’t new to the county, but the aircraft and the equipment on it is.
“We are extremely excited to have it,” said McCarley, the base medical supervisor. “All of the equipment helps so much with traumatic patients.”
STAT AIR 2 is owned and operated by Petroleum Helicopters Inc., which provides 60 emergency helicopters in the country, including 11 in Texas.
STAT AIR 2 is the only helicopter in Williamson County. Petroleum Helicopters does not have a contract with the county or local hospitals. If STAT AIR 2 is called out, a patient’s insurance company is billed. First-responders, emergency personnel, fire departments or hospital personnel can call STAT AIR 2 for help or transfers.
The back of the helicopter is about the size of the back of an ambulance and is a lot bigger than STAT AIR 1, which is no longer in use in the county, flight nurse Dave Wuertz said.
“This thing is darn near perfect: It’s strong, fast and efficient,” said Wuertz, who has been a paramedic for 31 years.
Pilot Gordy McQuire said the helicopter goes about 140 to 150 mph and can get almost anywhere in the county in 15 minutes.
Three people are on duty at all times in Georgetown. The helicopter is parked just south of the Georgetown Municipal Airport. Some of the crew has part-time jobs with Williamson County Emergency Medical Services and the Scott and White intensive care unit in Temple.
The helicopter was used last month to help surrounding counties assess storm damage and search for missing persons.
“Up until recently, Williamson County has had a lot of problems with traffic and taking patients to hospitals,” said Chris Heisler, a spokesman for Leander and Liberty Hill fire and rescue services. “But, with this aircraft, we are not only able to get people to a hospital, we are able to get them to the best hospital according to their injuries.”