| There is an unexpected catastrophe happening on the | | | | fatal as compared to 24 percent when the flight was |
| way from horrific accident scenes in the U.S. on the | | | | not in darkness. |
| way to hospitals in EMS helicopters. The helicopters | | | | That study determined 29 of those 55 accidents could |
| are crashing killing many of the occupants at an | | | | have been avoided. A number of safety issues were |
| unacceptable rate. If you've been injured in Southern | | | | identified. Consequently, in 2006, the NTSB issued a |
| California, whether it is in Long Beach, Big Bear, Laguna | | | | special report to address the safety issues of these |
| Beach, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Irvine, | | | | flights to accident scenes and sought computerized |
| Orange, or Yorba Linda, in Orange County, or | | | | safety equipment, terrain awareness and warning |
| Carlsbad, Oceanside, La Jolla, Del Mar, San Marcos, | | | | systems (TAWS) (also referred to as terrain |
| Vista and Escondido in San Diego, CA or in Palm | | | | avoidance technology) to warn pilots when they were |
| Springs, Palm Desert, Indio, Coachella, Yucca Valley or | | | | flying too close to land. |
| some remote or mountainous area and it is dark, or in | | | | It has been reported that while some progress has |
| bad weather, your chances of surviving the trip to the | | | | been made, none of the NTSB recommendations from |
| hospital may be better in an ambulance. | | | | that report have been fully implemented. |
| Deaths as the result of helicopter crashes in the U.S. | | | | All but two of the past eight fatal EMS accidents have |
| have been soaring to record levels and the National | | | | been at night or in bad weather. |
| Transportation Safety Board has been investigating | | | | By comparison, the fatal crash rate for ambulances is |
| just what is behind this rash of Emergency Medical | | | | nothing like it is for helicopters. |
| Service and Police helicopter crashes. | | | | Now the U.S. House and the Senate are considering |
| In the past 12 months, 31 people have died in eight | | | | legislation to address these safety issues and place |
| crashes. EMS helicopter crashes in the U.S. have | | | | higher standards on the industry. |
| become one of the most dangerous areas of aviation | | | | Until this situation is improved, pilots of EMS helicopters |
| and one of the highest accident rates for aviation | | | | as well as the police and medical personnel on the |
| crashes. This year alone, 24 people have died on | | | | ground have to take into consideration the condition of |
| medical airlifts. | | | | the injured persons at accident scenes, the |
| An NTSB study of EMS helicopter crashes between | | | | dangerousness of the location, as well as the weather |
| 1983 and 2005 found that the majority of the crashes | | | | conditions and darkness in determining if the accident |
| occurred - 77 percent as opposed to 31 percent - | | | | victims can be taken to a hospital by ambulance or if |
| when weather conditions forced pilots to fly using their | | | | the risks warrant the use of an EMS helicopter, both |
| instruments rather than by looking outside for visual | | | | for the safety of the injury victims and the EMS pilots, |
| cues. In darkness, 56 percent of the crashes were | | | | flight nurses and paramedics. |