Searching For the 'Silver Bullet For Safety' in Helicopter Air Medical Service Operations

摘要

This article is a follow up to my last, which attempted to identify whether there indeed exists within the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) community, a crisis in safety, or whether that is just the perception, and to identify a number of efforts by various entities to enhance safety in HEMS operations. Since my last article was written, several things have occurred that continue the focus on safety within air medical operations. First, after consultation with HAI and the air medical industry, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on January 28, 2005, issued Notice 8000.293 "Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Operations," to provide guidance to Principle Inspectors (PI) regarding HEMS operators for whom they have oversight responsibilities.