Life Flight Network

Presentation to Latah County Emergency

Management

Dominic Pomponio RN, CCRN, CEN, CFRN, NREMT-IBase Manager, Life Flight 79 Lewiston, ID

Agenda

• Overview of Life Flight Network– Ownership and History– Service Area

• Crew Configuration • Activation and Air Medical Necessity• Time Sensitive Illness’• Membership• Landing Zone Safety• Outreach, Education, and Training

Hospital Consortium

History• Founded 1978 as

Emanuel Life Flight• Became

hospital/community hybrid in 2007

• Expansion to Eugene and Dallesport in Spring 2008

• Expansion to Longview in Fall 2008

• Merge with St. Alphonsus Life Flight in Fall 2009

• 2009 Air Medical Program of the Year

Service Area

Flight Crew Information• Pilot• Flight Nurse

– Certified – PALS, BLS, ACLS, NRP, PHTLS,

TNATC– Advanced skills training –

chest tubes, emergent cricothyrotomy

• Flight Paramedic– Field EMS Training– NREMT-P– PALS, BLS, ACLS, NRP, PHTLS

• B L O O D

Safety is our #1 priority!

Clinical Operations

We carry a full complement of Critical Care and Emergency medications

Clinical Operations

LTV 1200 Ventilator

Clinical Operations

2 units of O-Negative PRBCs

Activation

Call

•800-452-7434

Info

•Who are you?

•Where are you?

•Where is the patient going?

•Is the patient greater than 300lbs?

Activatio

n

•Off the ramp in less than 6 minutes

•Flight crew will obtain all signatures and paperwork (no need for faxing).

•Flight crew does NOT need an accepting MD or facility for activation, just prior to transport.

Completion

•Flight crew will call back to sending facility and give updates.

•Equipment return

General CriteriaPosition Papers from AAMS and NAEMSP

1. Patient requires critical care life support2. Patient requires short out of hospital time3. High potential for delays with ground transport4. Remote area inaccessible to regular ground traffic5. Patient requires specific or timely treatment not

available at the referring hospital or facility.6. Patient’s clinical condition is familiar to receiving

hospital’s physicians7. Use of local ground transport team would leave

the local area without adequate EMS coverage.

Air Medical Necessity GuidelinesTRAUMA• Head and/or spine injuries• Significant penetrating injury

above mid-thigh, in torso, or head

• Chest injuries• Unstable vital signs• Burns >10% BSA or major burns• Major electrical/chemical burns• Amputation or near-amputation• 2 or more long bone fractures or

major pelvic fracture• Scalping or degloving injury• Significant mechanism of injury

NON-TRAUMA• Any patient airway that cannot be

maintained• Cardiac disease with progressive

deterioration• Unstable cardiac patients• Severe or acute neurological illness• Toxic exposure or electrolyte

disturbances• Unstable vascular emergency• Critically ill obstetric patients• Critically ill pediatric/neonatal

patients• Transplant patients• SICK patient

STEMI Transfer Coordination• Early Activation• Call Life Flight First• Medications/interventions

may be started by Flight Crew if time does not allow

• You may activate without accepting MD/Facility

• Door to balloon in less than 90 minutes

• Life Flight can be at your facility within minutes

Membership Insurance

• Membership– $60/year covers entire family – Guarantees patient will have no out of pocket

expense if flown by Life Flight Network or one of our reciprocal partners (NW. Medstar or Airlift NW)

– Life Flight Network has agreements with NW Medstar and others to honor memberships

Landing Zone Education

• Life Flight Instructional DVD• Selection and preparation• Helicopter safety• Preapproved landing zones

Outreach, Education, and Training

• ACLS, BLS, PHTLS classes• Mock MCI Drills and

Mock STEMI Transports• Inservices• Conferences and Public

Education events• Community Events• Ride-along program• Pediatric simulation

event

Aviation Services

• Rotorcraft aviation services provided by Air Methods Corporation

• AMC provides the aircraft, pilots, mechanics

• AMC holds FAA Part 135 Certificate

Aviation Services

• Eurocopter A-Star AS350 B3

• Eurocopter EC135

Aviation Services

• Fixed wing operations by Aero Air, LLC and Conyan Aviation, Inc.

• Both operators supply aircraft, pilots, and mechanics

• Both hold FAA Part 135 Certificates

Aviation Services

• Aero Air operates a twin- engine turbo prop Commander

• Conyan Aviation operates a twin-engine turbo prop Cheyenne III

Summary (or what I want you to remember)

• Air medical transport can make a significant difference in out of hospital time.

• Early activation and cut down on potential delays.

• Helicopters are not just for traumas.• We love a good collaboration!

• BLOOD!

Questions?