Federal Officials Move to Increase Emergency Medical Helicopter Safety

Alarmed by a rash of recent crashes and close calls involving emergency medical helicopters, federal safety officials are considering offering financial incentives to operators who install additional safety measures and spend more money on training pilots.

In 2008, emergency medical helicopter crashes claimed 29 lives in the United States and marked the deadliest year for such incidents in U.S. history, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The rash of accidents prompted safety officials to take another look at how operators of such flights are regulated and licensed in hopes of reducing such incidents.

Already, in the first eight months of 2009, there have been four accidents but no fatalities, according to the NTSB.

Air Ambulances May Face Tougher Rules

While transporting victims of automobile accidents and other incidents to hospitals by helicopter can be faster and more efficient than driving them in an ambulance, the flights have been involved in dozens of accidents caused by bad weather, pilot error, poorly maintained equipment, and other factors.

The NTSB is now considering several changes to existing rules for the emergency flights, including making reimbursement for transporting patients on federal Medicare contingent on operators flying within the rules. The emergency medical helicopter industry had resisted past government efforts to crack down, but with so many deaths now linked to crashes and other accidents, the time may be right to strike a deal for increased safety on the flights.

By giving financial incentives to operators who install collision-avoidance systems or other big-ticket safety devices in their aircraft, federal safety officials are hoping more operators will go along with the program.

The NTSB’s recommendations are expected to carry a lot of weight with the Federal Aviation Administration and Congressional leaders, who have the authority to impose new restrictions on the emergency medical helicopter industry. The NTSB does not have that power on its own.

New FAA Rules in 2010?

The FAA said new rules for operators of air ambulances could be introduced in early 2010. The regulations could include stricter training for helicopter pilots and requiring helicopters to carry warning systems that can warn pilots of oncoming mountains and other dangerous terrain. Terrain-awareness technology is only installed in about 40 percent of such aircraft, officials said.

A leading emergency medical helicopter industry group reportedly welcomes the NTSB recommendations.

“The thought of providing incentives to folks who want to improve safety…is something we would welcome,” said Dawn Mancuso, executive director of the Association of Air Medical Services.

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