Helicopter ambulance

[Liam82]

Im interested in becoming one of the guys that rides in a helicopter. Besides military is there a good place to work for near chicago? Also is there any other training besides basic and paramedic that is needed? What is everyones thoughts about this?

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[AlphaButch]

I recommend you finish your medic first. By then, you will know more and answers to your questions will mean more.

 

[Tommerag]

Not to cut you down so fast, but I really doubt you will be hired as a flight medic out of school. Around here you need atleast 3-4 years of experience as a Lead medic, before they would even consider you. I think on average though most flight medics around here get hired with 5-6 years experience.

 

[Liam82]

I appreciate the quick replies thank you. I figured I would need some experience before this so I guess my question was more geared to if there are any specific classes or certs that I should take or get going twards this and if any one has had experience with this line of work. Thank you again

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[medicdan]

Absolutely there are specific certifications and lines of education required. In order to be hired at many services, the following are required.
At minimum, a Bachelors degree
Nursing school, min BSN
all the alphabet soup classes, and instructor ratings in as many as possible (so you can do community education for the service)
BCLS, ACLS, PHTLS, ATLS, PEPP, PALS, NRP
The of course specific training in Critical Care and flight medicine
CCEMTP or CCRN
FP-C (within a certain time of hire)

Of course being an NP doesn't hurt (or PA or MD)...

Hope this... helps...

 

[AlphaButch]

I've known quite a few folks who wanted to become flight medics as their goal entering the field. I only know of one who has. Everyone else found something else in the field they would rather be doing.

The amount of qualifications are daunting to a new provider (which is why I didn't mention any), when you should be focused on the initial step of a quality Paramedic or Nursing program.

All the certs and soup will come later and almost take care of themselves if you get in with a good service, have the right attitude and keep your eyes open for opportunities.

 

[VCEMT]

Level II medics can volunteer with the Ventura County Air Squad. Alot of training involved. Just this past Sunday, the air squad dropped off a crewman at an MCI, while transporting a pt.. A second air squad was sent to that call, including L.A.Co. It was deep in the Los Padres. Get a lot of canyon rescues, too.

 

[epipusher]

There are services that require at minimum a bachelors degree and an RN? That's pretty hardcore. Of the two services I worked for, the only requirements were 3 years 911 experience and FP-C within a year of being hired. The FP-C I just tested out of.

 

[marshmallow22]

If you are going to work for a private air ambulance provider, it's not worth it! Too much education and certifications needed, too much risk, and very low pay (Nurses average 65-75k a year, and medics are 40-50k per year. Both sound good, but remember, it takes about 5 years of experience to get on, and by that time you'll be taking a step backwards on the payscale).

If your paycheck doesn't matter, then by all means do it. You do learn a lot about critical care, trauma, and aviation. Otherwise, crashes involving fatalities and other incidents are on the rise as the business becomes more competitive with the privates.

City and County agencies traditionally have better safety records, offer better pay and benefits, and generally treat their staff better. But then again, those exact same reasons are why it is so difficult to get on with a paid city/county agency. A lot of them (like the Ventura Air Squad) are volunteer and will offer a small stipend for the time you put in. Usually on something like that, the pilot and the 1st officer (co-pilot) are sherrif's deputies that are paid full time with all of the normal benefits.

 

[truetiger]

You'll also want a good life insurance policy....

 

[usafmedic45]

You'll also want a good life insurance policy....

....but probably won't be able to afford it. Seriously, it's the most dangerous job in America most years. I'm not kidding, I'm not trying to be cute. There's no benefit to the patient most of the time so you're risking getting killed just to have a cool job. Not exactly a good risk to benefit ratio in my book.

 

[IRIDEZX6R]

....but probably won't be able to afford it. Seriously, it's the most dangerous job in America most years. I'm not kidding, I'm not trying to be cute. There's no benefit to the patient most of the time so you're risking getting killed just to have a cool job. Not exactly a good risk to benefit ratio in my book.

Oh im sure theres benefits... I don't know how many guys get turned down by girls when they can say they fly in a helicopter and perform paramagic.... one of the most dangerous jobs ever. well.. of course they have to be decent looking as well...

 

[usafmedic45]

Oh im sure theres benefits... I don't know how many guys get turned down by girls when they can say they fly in a helicopter and perform paramagic.... one of the most dangerous jobs ever. well.. of course they have to be decent looking as well...

Typical newbie attitude. After you have buried 10 friends in crashes over the years, jokes like that tend to not be so funny.

 

[IRIDEZX6R]

Typical newbie attitude. After you have buried 10 friends in crashes over the years, jokes like that tend to not be so funny.

I understand why youre jaded, but from the outside looking in... I'm sure you understand my newbie-ness. Matches my attitude toward rockclimbing now, too many friends have died over the years...

 

[usafmedic45]

I understand why youre jaded, but from the outside looking in...

I'm not jaded. I'm just a realist. There is seriously no benefit to patients in the vast majority of areas.

I'm sure you understand my newbie-ness.

Understanding and tolerating are two separate things. Just keep that in mind.

 

[ffemt8978]

I'm not jaded. I'm just a realist. There is seriously no benefit to patients in the vast majority of areas.



Understanding and tolerating are two separate things. Just keep that in mind.

Even in my BFE area, unless a helo is launched before we arrive on scene the patient's arrival time will be nearly the same.

 

[WolfmanHarris]

Just how over utilized is HEMS in some areas of the states?

Here HEMS doesn't launch after dark unless going to a proper heliport and operates under visual flight rules. Heck the running joke is that if there's a cloud in they sky, they don't fly; but that's because from the perspective of a land provider it seems Ornge is never flying when you need them.

90% of the calls done by Ornge (the Air Ambulance provider, fixed and rotary in Ontario) are critical care transfers from small community hospitals or remote communities into larger centres for care. 10% are scene responses.

I have called for HEMS three times in as many years had them come twice. Once was during a 4 patient MVC w/ entrapment. The Pt. they transport had a Fx pelvis, flail chest and Fx humerus. Pt. was obtunded, hypotense and tachy. Prolonged extrication. Pt. transported to trauma centre. Other call was a 21 y/o F, high speed T-bone with rollover, intrusion and entrapment. Pt. was unresponsive, trismus, probably closed head injury, can't remember others. Pt. extricated and transported to closest hospital (very small community hospital) by land ambulance but helicopter was diverted to land there and Pt. taken to trauma centre. We do these modified scene calls to prevent delay in transport or when weather or light prevent a landing near the call. Third time I called due to call details and prolonged time to pt contact. Upon contact they were canceled as Pt. was not a candidate for the trauma centre. These are very typical circumstances for calling for a scene response.

I'd attach our criteria for requesting HEMS, but I can't find a digital copy anywhere.

Air Ambulance in Ontario has never had a fatality. They have had one crash that I know of. One fire on the tarmac (back in the early 80's). I know of one near miss wire strike last year.

 

[usafmedic45]

Just how over utilized is HEMS in some areas of the states?

There are more HEMS helicopters in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area than in all of Canada. Does that answer your question?