I love magic.<\/p>\n
Or at least\u2026<\/p>\n
I loved it when I was kid.<\/p>\n
Creating illusions, pulling rabbits out of hats and making skyscrapers disappear in front of thousands of observers, fascinated me.<\/p>\n
Right up until…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I figured it out.<\/p>\n
Once I learned the \u201csecrets\u201d to magic, it wasn\u2019t exciting to me at all. In fact, it quickly bored me.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the point?<\/p>\n
The point is to decide right now if you really want to know the truth about EMS helicopters and air medical.<\/p>\n
Knowing will change your perspective forever.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not necessarily a bad change. But your perspective will definitely change.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, like an aviation manager in an emergency room, it\u2019s better to just feel the excitement and energy of the moment, than to try and understand what\u2019s really happening.<\/p>\n
You have to decide what\u2019s best for you.<\/p>\n
Reality is the only way EMS and air medical (or anything else) gets better, is by starting from a benchmark of how it really works.<\/p>\n
The irony is every company, person, and EMSer I advise, agrees with this theory.<\/p>\n
Yet, very few actually follow it.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s still very difficult to implement and practice reality based EMS. Why? Because we all see what we want to see, not necessarily what is really happening.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the reason for this article.<\/p>\n
To help you see EMS and air medical for what it really is. Because only then can you start to make it better.<\/p>\n
So here goes:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Truth<\/strong> – EMS flight crews do save lives. EMS flight crews have reason to celebrate every life they save and the work they do.<\/p>\n We all have reason to celebrate the lives they save.<\/p>\n Lifesaving is important work. Can you think of anything more important?<\/p>\n For a realistic understanding of how much lifesaving air medical accomplishes, read The 20-60-20 Rule of Helicopter EMS<\/a>.<\/p>\n Truth<\/strong> – EMS helicopters move faster than ambulances.<\/p>\n Helicopters cruise at about 2 miles per minute. Read EMS Pilot Math Made Easy<\/a> for a simple and easy shortcut to know when the EMS helicopter will arrive.<\/p>\n More Truth<\/strong> – EMS Helicopters DO NOT always transport patients faster than ambulances. It sometimes takes longer for EMS helicopters to arrive at a hospital or trauma center than an ambulance.<\/p>\n I lost track of how many times I landed on a hospital helipad and saw the ground unit ambulance (transporting the less critical patient) from the same accident scene, departing the hospital.<\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n There are a lot of reasons and all are valid. Know that every EMS professional does all they can to get patients to needed care as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n But also know that helicopters are not always the fastest choice.<\/p>\n Truth<\/strong> – EMS flight crews are highly skilled and bring a mini emergency room to the patient.<\/p>\n More Truth<\/strong> – EMS flight crews often do provide a higher level of care, but some ACLS providers give comparable levels of care.<\/p>\n It\u2019s all dependent on the resources available where you live and the moment in time you need them.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
#2) EMS Helicopters Transport Patients Faster Than Ground Ambulances<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
#3) EMS Helicopters Provide A Higher Level of Care Than Ground EMS<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
#4) ALL EMS flights are urgent and necessary<\/span><\/h3>\n