Poll

24hr Air Ambulance service

The Air Corps ?
10 (43.5%)
Privately Contracted Company ?
13 (56.5%)
Other ?
0 (0%)
We don't need an Air Ambulance service ?
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 23

Author Topic: 24hr Air Ambulance service  (Read 3334 times)

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Offline p.diddy.cool

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« Reply #15 on: October 20, 2003, 02:26:45 pm »
The Helis go threw some dry spells with the Air Amb role but last friday there was two in the one day, about 3 weeks ago a heli was scrambled with two of my highly trained comrades on it (EMTs) to an RTA, they landed by the roadside and transported the lady to hospital, she was severely injured, but is recovering now! the call was received and the heli lifted within 4 mins from the don! the same guys are now on the gate duty in baldonnel and removed from sar duties as was i.... Air Ambulance is great work and the job satifaction level is off the scales!

when i was new to the unit i was on an air ambulance to the dublin mountains we landed on a fork junction on the road, fantastic team work from me an the pilot in question, the young mans leg was hanging on by the ligaments behind the knee only! we ( ambulance crew and me and a doctor) stablized him and transported him to hospital.

Air Ambulance is Excellent work to do and the air corps should do it, provided we get better funding for it!

P.Diddy.C

Offline FiannaFail

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« Reply #16 on: October 21, 2003, 10:41:58 pm »
Silver,
I wasnt having a philosophical discussion on the rights or wrongs of war..... but as military people we do tend to get a bit excited over battles. Otherwise we would be spending our days polishing our boots...again and again.  If it doesnt excite one then ....there is always Masters in Social Work for example.
Your friend,
FiannaFail ':<img:'>
Patricia Guerin

Offline Lude

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« Reply #17 on: November 05, 2003, 04:36:06 pm »
I thought the instrument panel lighting has to be NVG compatible for NVG equipped flying,this would cost a shit load if conversion/upgrade was needed I'd say.
As for older heli's using NVG,this might rule that out,but what do I know anyway?!
...seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.

Offline Lurk

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« Reply #18 on: October 20, 2003, 08:13:32 pm »
Mr P. Diddy is acting the tit!  No Air Corps helicopter does roadside air ambulance, and no Air Corps helicopter can lift in less than 15 minutes from crew arriving at aircraft. Imposter!

Offline Silver

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« Reply #19 on: October 21, 2003, 10:43:51 pm »
Sure, but in your case we don't know which you are - male or female   '<img'>

You = military =   '<img'>

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« Reply #20 on: November 06, 2003, 05:18:23 pm »
Cheers, Silver

You are right, the French have used Alouettes with NVG and FLIR, but in modern terms, the conditions for NVG use are fairly strict. I don't think any operator could justify not having the lighting compatible. I've heard that for some operators, even one bulb non compatible writes off the whole aircraft for NVG use. A refit would be expensive, so any new aircraft should have it written into the contract. There has been some talk of getting the last serviceable Gazelle set up for NVG training, but the will would have to be there first to get training overseas, like in Canada or with the yanks, before that approach would be taken.

As for what aircraft would be suitable, are we still talking about the Air Corps running the service? Because if so, the type is irrelevant, it's always going to be a compromise between troop carrying capacity and weight. Anything over 4 tonnes is too big, but there is very little under four tonnes that will fill the army roles required. My best bet would be the EC 145. Light, compact and lots of flexibility in what you can put in the back (in addition to NVG compatible, single/twin pilot IFR yahdeyah!)  A civil operator can provide a better service because the equipment is very specialised and doesn't necessarily have to be removable, so a smaller heli such as the 135 will do. At the very least, I would like to see an aircraft that can carry two stretchers, because RTA's rarely involve single casualties. That rules out all current Air Corps types. And before you scream S 61, putting that thing down on a road would be a little tough, not to mention the mass casualties it could cause!

Offline p.diddy.cool

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« Reply #21 on: October 20, 2003, 09:21:55 pm »
hey Lurk! sorry to have hurt your feelings  ':p' but its true, there is an al 3 on standby everyday in the don and the crew were in the rest room down stairs at the time.. , besides its like they say opinions are like ******** everyone has one and that just happens to be yours!

im sure one of the lads on the site can reasure u on these facts if need be!

oh and im aint no imposter!  '[<img'>

Offline FiannaFail

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« Reply #22 on: October 21, 2003, 11:18:39 pm »
In our generation we always liked to where our friends grandparents were during Easter 1916...... it sounds that in your case we would need to ask where your grandparents were in 1972 when the British Embassy in Dublin was burnt down! I presume you cannot remember the chap selling Mao Sae Tung's (remember him?) little Red Book outside the GPO?
Am I the oldest swinger on this site? Caught in the mouth of babes it seems!
Your greatest admirer,
FiannaFail ':<img:'>
Patricia Guerin

Offline yellowjacket

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« Reply #23 on: November 07, 2003, 07:27:08 pm »
Would refitting the Dauphin for this role be viable? The type is/was used in the role in many places, including by London HEMS up till a few years ago.

If the A/C were to take on the job, the aircraft would have to be exclusive to the air ambulance role. The rate of usage envisaged for helicopters to allow for closing of some A&E depts wouldnt leave much time for anything else.

Offline Silver

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« Reply #24 on: October 21, 2003, 11:23:30 pm »
We are getting way off-topic here folks....

Is it the case that it would be safer to have the Air Corps doing SAR (i.e. military vs civilian) because of any possible terrorist risk ?

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« Reply #25 on: November 07, 2003, 11:08:05 pm »
Exclusivity would assume civil operators. Air ambulance is not high on the priority of missions that the Army tasks the Air Corps with. They would always have to be available to respond to security missions, hence, easily removable modular equipment. Even SAR takes a lower priority than security in the military. If we want a 24 hr exclusive heli or helis, we're looking at ex RN or RAF operators flying with a company that is already established in the UK and currently has the equipment, Air Operating Certificates and background to carry out the mission. It would be cost-effective, effecient and very high-profile for the Dept of Health. Forgive me, even as a serving AC member, I cannot say that we are the best route to go down, at least in the short term. '<img'>

Offline FiannaFail

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« Reply #26 on: October 21, 2003, 11:45:16 pm »
No Silver,
Privatise SAR I would say and let us get on with our very importannt job.  After all we are in the military not the Red Cross. However we should be willing to throw our lot in when  called upon to do so.
Silver, I think its time for you to go to bed!
Regards,
FiannaFail ':<img:'>
Patricia Guerin

Offline John K

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« Reply #27 on: November 09, 2003, 12:04:48 am »
Hey Guys, I've not been keeping up with the Heli. scene for a few years (too busy with 'heavy' fixed wing stuff!), but over here in the UK a few of the (civvy) air ambulance crowds are using the notar, is it a Hughes 500 with a fan blowing air up the tail boom with a moveable nozzle at the end?
I was riding my motorbike down the Mosel valley in Germany a few years ago and came across a 'bike accident with a Bell longranger sitting in the middle of the road about to take the poor bloke to hospital, that's quite a big heli. in the middle of the road! So why couldn't the Dauphin be used?.

Offline Silver

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« Reply #28 on: November 09, 2003, 02:59:43 pm »
That's the heli I mentioned here before, JK, the Hughes MD500 (or indeed the Hughes MD900). It seems to be a popular choice for HEMS work, most likely because of the added safety of having no tail rotar (NOTAR).

Good point about the Longranger v Dauphin landing on a road !

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« Reply #29 on: November 09, 2003, 10:17:07 pm »
There is very little stopping the Dauphin being used for HEMS, except the previously mentioned NVG capability. In any case, landing on the road is unlikely, unless it's a dual carriageway. Much more likely that you would land in a field close to the road with the co-ordination of the police and fire service.