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?