RESULT: SAFETY
Safety in Everything We Do
Air Evac Lifeteam is proud to have received numerous safety awards
from various agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA), the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) and Helicopter
Association International (HAI) and Aviation Research Group (ARG/US).
Air Evac Lifeteam is "Gold" rated by ARG/US. In 2006, 2008 and 2009,
Air Evac Lifeteam received the Operator's Safety Award from HAI,
reflecting a safety record that is twice as good as the helicopter
industry average. The Company received the FAA's Diamond Maintenance
Award in 2007, 2008 and 2009 for excellence in training and maintenance.
Finally, Air Evac Lifeteam is the largest operator under one name to be
accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport
Systems.
Safety Programs
- Operational Control Center: 8 pilots, all with more than 5 years of EMS experience, are
utilized in the operations center to provide pilots with timely, accurate weather information
to aid in making real-time decisions about flying conditions.
- Risk Matrix System: Air Evac Lifeteam uses a Risk Matrix System to identify risk factors before
taking a flight. Risk factors include current and forecasted weather conditions, flight destination
and time of day. Flights with higher risk factors are discussed by the pilot and flight data analyst.
- Trend Analysis: Ensuring safety is a continuous process. Therefore, Air Evac Lifeteam executes
trend analysis and mechanical reliability programs to constantly gain insight. Ongoing scrutiny
enables management to identify potentially hazardous situations in advance.
- Compliance Program: Air Evac Lifeteam employs a rigorous internal compliance audit program to
ensure conformity with all applicable federal regulations and pertinent safety issues.
The company successfully accomplished company-wide, third-party safety reviews and audits
in 2005 and 2007 by well-regarded industry experts.
- Safety Culture: Air Evac Lifeteam’s company-wide commitment to establishing a safety-focused
culture encompasses numerous initiatives and permeates everything we do.
- Accreditation: In 2008, Air Evac Lifeteam was
evaluated and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport
Systems, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the
quality and safety of medical transport programs.
Investments in Safety
- Flight Simulator: Air Evac Lifeteam was the first air medical operator to train pilots on a
dedicated flight simulator. The flight simulator allows instructors to train pilots in emergency
procedures that are more safely practiced on the ground.
- Night Vision Goggles: The company maintains an
active Night Vision Goggle program, with approximately 82% of the
bases currently operational with 100% scheduled to be operational by
mid-2010.
- Helmet Usage: Air Evac Lifeteam was also the first operator of its size to mandate helmet usage
for all crew members. This basic safety standard protects the crew members and patients who are
dependent on those professionals for medical care.
- Weather Reporting Stations: Weather is a key dynamic that must be continually monitored. Air Evac
Lifeteam operates its own in-house weather reporting stations that yield up-to-the-minute weather
information and has proven to be a safeguard against weather-related accidents.
- Safety Staff: Air Evac Lifeteam employs three
full-time safety staff whose sole responsibility
is to ensure that personnel are well-trained and highly conscious of safe operating procedures.
- Skytrac© Satellite Tracking: The Operations Center staff use Skytrac© Satellite systems to
continually monitor the safety of the flight. Skytrac© reports an aircraft’s heading, location and air speed every 60 seconds.
- Aviation Risk Management: In 2007, Air Evac
Lifeteam engaged Aerosafe Risk Management, a leading international
aviation firm specializing in the provision of safety and risk
management services, to review its operations, safety program and
risk management systems.