Agencies train together to help others
LifeLine makes stop in Versailles
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

It's not uncommon anymore to drive up on an accident scene and see a helicopter landing to transport someone who is injured.

How the helicopter gets to the scene is another story and many volunteers throughout the county are making sure they have the training to get the job done.

On Monday night, August 2, pilot Mason Hendricks landed a LifeLine helicopter in the grassy field beside Rescue 69's building on Hopewell Road as scheduled. No one was hurt - they were there to participate in a training exercise that will hone the skills of all involved should they actually be called to a scene.

"I couldn't have asked for anything better," noted Rescue 69's Training Officer Joe Hammond, as he described the training session. "We had nearly 100 people turn out - and the information given by LifeLine employees was excellent," he continued.

After the helicopter landed, those in attendance were able to view it up close and ask questions of the pilot. Also on board were Flight Paramedic Rus Cuthbart and Flight Nurse Peggy Ilers. The three gave an outstanding presentation to local rescue workers who were then able to practice loading the helicopter.

They learned how to handle the situation if it's determined to be a "hot" load or a "cold" load. A hot load means the patient is more critical and the rescue workers will load them into the helicopter while it is still running. They have to be particularly careful of the blades as they turn. A cold load means the helicopter will be shut down and they will have about three minutes longer to load their patient.

The training emphasized the importance of area fire departments role in bringing in a helicopter to a scene. They are the ones in constant contact with the pilot and they have to secure and mark the area in which the helicopter will land. Then firemen will stand ready with fire hose
charged just in case something goes wrong and a fire erupts.

Hammond noted that the training was organized to refresh everyone's skills for a scene that would require transport by a helicopter and to reiterate that safety for everyone is of utmost importance. "Although we have people flown more frequently than we used to, it's still not an everyday or even every week occurrence," he noted, adding that training of this sort keeps everyone "on their toes."

They were also briefed on when to call for helicopter transport. A variety of people have the authority to make the judgment call to bring in flight transport and they include doctors, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, law enforcement and firefighters.

Some frequently asked questions about helicopter transports include:

· What does it cost?

· Do weather conditions affect flight operations?

· Are family members permitted to ride along?

The answers to those three questions are: A standard lift off fee and one-way load mileage fee is charged. These costs are usually covered by the patient's insurance. The requesting agency is not charged. The second question's answer is weather conditions are a factor and the ultimate decision is made by the pilot. The answer to the third question is: No, family members may not fly. This is due to space and weight factors.
The LifeLine helicopters are Bk-117s and have cruising speeds of 150 mph. Coming from Indianapolis, the pilot gave an estimated arrival time to Rescue 69's building of 29 minutes.

LifeLine is affiliated with the Clarian Health Group which includes the Indianapolis hospitals of Methodist, IU, and Riley. Ripley County also calls for transport from AirCare from University Hospital in Cincinnati, and StatCare from University of Louisville Hospital.

The training, sponsored by Rescue 69, was attended by members of the Osgood, Versailles, Holton, and Napoleon fire departments; Task Unit One, First Responders, Milan Rescue 30, Jennings County Rescue, King's Daughters' Hospital; Osgood Police Department, Ripley County EMS, and Ripley County Emergency Management Agency.

Jason Smith, Director of Rescue 69, was pleased with the turnout noting that it takes everyone working together to make the community a better place to live.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO

A LifeLine helicopter makes its landing at Rescue 69 Monday evening right on target at 7:30 p.m. with the aid of firemen from the Versailles Volunteer Fire Department. Versailles Fire Chief Richard Purvis was in charge of communicating with the pilot and bringing the helicopter to the landing zone that had previously been set up. A large crowd gathered at the scene to see the helicopter and several emergency agencies participated in a training session sponsored by Rescue 69.