Re: Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

January 24, 2005

Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

Point 1.

Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

U.S. 1995-2001

All workers 5

Farming 26

Mining 27

Air Medical Crew 74

Point 2.

An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week for

20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

January 24, 2005

Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

Point 1.

Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

U.S. 1995-2001

All workers 5

Farming 26

Mining 27

Air Medical Crew 74

Point 2.

An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week for

20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

January 24, 2005

Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

Point 1.

Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

U.S. 1995-2001

All workers 5

Farming 26

Mining 27

Air Medical Crew 74

Point 2.

An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week for

20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

January 24, 2005

Gravity.

E. Bledsoe, DO, FACEP

Midlothian, TX

Don't miss EMStock 2005 (http://www.EMStock.com)

Re: Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

seen)

Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

Point 1.

Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

U.S. 1995-2001

All workers 5

Farming 26

Mining 27

Air Medical Crew 74

Point 2.

An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week

for

20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

January 24, 2005

Gravity.

E. Bledsoe, DO, FACEP

Midlothian, TX

Don't miss EMStock 2005 (http://www.EMStock.com)

Re: Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

seen)

Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

Point 1.

Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

U.S. 1995-2001

All workers 5

Farming 26

Mining 27

Air Medical Crew 74

Point 2.

An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week

for

20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

January 24, 2005

Gravity.

E. Bledsoe, DO, FACEP

Midlothian, TX

Don't miss EMStock 2005 (http://www.EMStock.com)

Re: Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

seen)

Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

Point 1.

Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

U.S. 1995-2001

All workers 5

Farming 26

Mining 27

Air Medical Crew 74

Point 2.

An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week

for

20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

January 24, 2005

The sudden stop at the end.

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I

have seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours

per week for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 24, 2005

The sudden stop at the end.

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I

have seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours

per week for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 24, 2005

The sudden stop at the end.

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I

have seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours

per week for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 24, 2005

Possibly because helicopters are always in a state of controlled

crash. That's how they move, by falling off their column of air.

Another reason is that it is a job that very likely has a higher

" danger rating " than many others. I would like to see the statistics

comparing civilian air medical crews to military medical crews and

to sheriff's/police force crews as well as military crews. I believet

that it would show that those numbers are also elevated.

Carol

>

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 24, 2005

Possibly because helicopters are always in a state of controlled

crash. That's how they move, by falling off their column of air.

Another reason is that it is a job that very likely has a higher

" danger rating " than many others. I would like to see the statistics

comparing civilian air medical crews to military medical crews and

to sheriff's/police force crews as well as military crews. I believet

that it would show that those numbers are also elevated.

Carol

>

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 24, 2005

Funny you should ask:

Fatal Crashes per Million Flight Hours, 2001

Airline 1

Commuter Air 6

General Aviation 12

All Helicopter Operations 12

Medical Helicopters 19

Source, Air Medical Physician Association.

I'm sure this number has steadily increased over las few years. Since 2002,

more people have been killed in air ambulance crashes than aboard U.S.

commercial airlines, though the helicopters travel just a fraction of the

distance.

E. Bledsoe, DO, FACEP

Midlothian, TX

Don't miss EMStock 2005 (http://www.EMStock.com)

Re: Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

seen)

Possibly because helicopters are always in a state of controlled crash.

That's how they move, by falling off their column of air.

Another reason is that it is a job that very likely has a higher " danger

rating " than many others. I would like to see the statistics comparing

civilian air medical crews to military medical crews and to sheriff's/police

force crews as well as military crews. I believet that it would show that

those numbers are also elevated.

Carol

>

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

> seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week

for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 24, 2005

Funny you should ask:

Fatal Crashes per Million Flight Hours, 2001

Airline 1

Commuter Air 6

General Aviation 12

All Helicopter Operations 12

Medical Helicopters 19

Source, Air Medical Physician Association.

I'm sure this number has steadily increased over las few years. Since 2002,

more people have been killed in air ambulance crashes than aboard U.S.

commercial airlines, though the helicopters travel just a fraction of the

distance.

E. Bledsoe, DO, FACEP

Midlothian, TX

Don't miss EMStock 2005 (http://www.EMStock.com)

Re: Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

seen)

Possibly because helicopters are always in a state of controlled crash.

That's how they move, by falling off their column of air.

Another reason is that it is a job that very likely has a higher " danger

rating " than many others. I would like to see the statistics comparing

civilian air medical crews to military medical crews and to sheriff's/police

force crews as well as military crews. I believet that it would show that

those numbers are also elevated.

Carol

>

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

> seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week

for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 24, 2005

Funny you should ask:

Fatal Crashes per Million Flight Hours, 2001

Airline 1

Commuter Air 6

General Aviation 12

All Helicopter Operations 12

Medical Helicopters 19

Source, Air Medical Physician Association.

I'm sure this number has steadily increased over las few years. Since 2002,

more people have been killed in air ambulance crashes than aboard U.S.

commercial airlines, though the helicopters travel just a fraction of the

distance.

E. Bledsoe, DO, FACEP

Midlothian, TX

Don't miss EMStock 2005 (http://www.EMStock.com)

Re: Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

seen)

Possibly because helicopters are always in a state of controlled crash.

That's how they move, by falling off their column of air.

Another reason is that it is a job that very likely has a higher " danger

rating " than many others. I would like to see the statistics comparing

civilian air medical crews to military medical crews and to sheriff's/police

force crews as well as military crews. I believet that it would show that

those numbers are also elevated.

Carol

>

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

> seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week

for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 24, 2005

Remember what Harry Reasoner said, " The thing is, helicopters are different

from planes. An airplane by its nature wants to fly, and if not interfered

with too strongly by unusual events or by a deliberately incompetent pilot,

it will fly. A helicopter does not want to fly. It is maintained in the air

by a variety of forces and controls working in opposition to each other, and

if there is any disturbance in this delicate balance the helicopter stops

flying, immediately and disastrously. There is no such thing as a gliding

helicopter. This is why being a helicopter pilot is so different from being

an airplane pilot, and why, in general, airplane pilots are open,

clear-eyed, buoyant extroverts, and helicopter pilots are brooders,

introspective anticipators of trouble. They know if something bad has not

happened, it is about to. "

Don't miss EMStock 2005 (http://www.EMStock.com)

Re: Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

seen)

Possibly because helicopters are always in a state of controlled crash.

That's how they move, by falling off their column of air.

Another reason is that it is a job that very likely has a higher " danger

rating " than many others. I would like to see the statistics comparing

civilian air medical crews to military medical crews and to sheriff's/police

force crews as well as military crews. I believet that it would show that

those numbers are also elevated.

Carol

>

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have

> seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week

for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 24, 2005

Because, per worker, they die more often.

Mike

>

> Why are their fatality rates so much higher?

> Points to Ponder (most startling facts I have seen)

>

> Point 1.

>

> Occupational Deaths per 100,000/year

> U.S. 1995-2001

>

> All workers 5

> Farming 26

> Mining 27

> Air Medical Crew 74

>

> Point 2.

>

> An EMS helicopter (HEMS) pilot or crew member flying 20 hours per week for

> 20 years would have a 40% chance of a fatal crash

>

> Source: s Hopkins School of Public Health.

> The s Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Prevention

>

January 25, 2005

>>From: Bledsoe

>>

>>Gravity.

>>

Taking off is optional........landing however, is mandatory.

HOW you land, now that is an issue all it's own.

Seriously though, I think one of the reasons that there is an increase

in Med HELO accidents is the overuse, the fault lies squarely on the

shoulders of those that accept the flights. We used to fly at the

absolute bare minimum visibility, and push our luck all the way there

and all the way back, because we were dispatched to what sounded like a

critical patient in need of transportation. More often than not, we

arrived to find a patient that was nowhere near the description that we

received in our dispatch information. Had we crashed, it would have been

our fault, it would have been out fault for not saying 'no', for

whatever reason. Be it a) poor flight conditions, patient condition

didn't warrant, etc.

We all used to stand there and say, " In bad conditions, I will not fly " ,

but when the pagers went off, into our flight suits we would go, and off

into the wild blue yonder, weather be damned!!!

Something to consider when you call for the HELO, is it REALLY

necessary? Could they go by ground? If you are waiting on the ground for

a helicopter, you are wasting valuable time.

I believe there is a place for medical air transportation, but its use

must be judicious, sparing, and made with concern for the flight crew

and the patient, every time they take off, they put their lives in

danger. It would be a shame to have a crew killed, as well as the

patient, because someone wanted to get the adrenalin rush of 'flying one

out'.

Mike

January 25, 2005