What new challenges will emergency medical services face?
Last year was a horrific one for emergency medical services response transportation. As of press time, seven fatal EMS-related aviation incidents had been reported in 2008, resulting in 28 fatalities. No causal link has been reported among the crashes, but the fact that all seven were emergency response related is a common factor. The most recent crash occurred on Oct. 15 when a Bell 222 EMS helicopter crashed near Aurora, Il, killing four passengers; two crewmembers, a nurse and a 1-year-old child. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. While those in the air medical industry have voluntarily worked to implement a number of safety improvements over the past few years, the recent rash of fatal EMS helicopter crashes has prompted concerns that accidents will continue if stronger efforts are not made to improve medical flights. At a time of increasingly high traffic and with the current economical downturn, some safety professionals are worried about the new challenges EMS
