Medical Helicopter Transport Under Fire

Helicopters are increasingly being used to transport medical patients either in an emergency situation, or as part of routine transfer between medical facilities. In 1980, there were just 30 medical helicopters in use around the U.S. Today, there are more than 650.

There are several reasons for this increase. First, the aging Baby Boomers are entering a stage in their lives when they are at risk to stroke, heart attack, and other events that require immediate medical attention. Secondly, rural hospitals are moving away from specialist and long-term care, leaving that instead to urban hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Although medical transports can occur by air or ground, helicopters are becoming more widely used as a form of general transportation across the U.S., and are seen as a faster and more comfortable method of transferring patients between facilities. Currently, medical helicopters or air ambulance transports an average of 350,000 patients per year.

Some claim that there will naturally be more accidents as medical helicopter use continues to grow. This may be true, but almost every accident is avoidable with proper safety equipment and guidelines. The problem is, these guidelines are not keeping pace to properly control an expanding industry.

A USAToday report in July 2005 found that 10% of all medical helicopters had been involved in some sort of crash. Most crashes are listed under the term “controlled flight into terrain” where the helicopter flies into a mountainside, a body of water, or the ground without there being any other indication of an “emergency situation.” Helicopters are still not required to carry the same safety equipment as airliners like warning systems that alert the pilot when too close to the ground or to another aircraft. Weather and nighttime flying are also make up a large portion of crashes.

The rules and regulations that are in place are not easily enforceable – until the unthinkable happens. The FAA admits that it just does not have the human and other resources it would take to carry out full inspections of the medical helicopter operators. And recent budget cutbacks are not likely to help matters.

Officials from the FAA met with air ambulance providers in January 2005 to emphasize the need for better safety measures and better pilot decision making. Despite these efforts, the number of deaths in 2005 in medical helicopter accidents will meet or exceed the average of recent years.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a medical helicopter accident, either during an emergency or as part of a routine transport, contact a personal injury attorney at Jim S. Adler & Associates. The firm has more than 30 years of litigation experience, fighting for the rights of our clients and getting them the compensation they deserve. And we can help you too. Contact Jim S. Adler & Associates right now for a free case review.

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