Memorial Hermann Life Flight
Memorial Hermann Life Flight is a hospital-based
History
Service began on August 1, 1976 as the second helicopter air medical program in the
The first helicopter utilized on a Life Flight mission was the French-built SA 319B, also known as the
The TwinStar served with Life Flight until the acquisition of the BK 117 helicopter. The BK 117 was built as a joint venture between Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The aircraft is particularly special because of its layout, which allows for complete use of the cabin area. It has no structural beams, or pillars, blocking the cabin space, and it also has large rear “clamshell” doors to use for loading and unloading patient stretchers.
With the addition of the BK117, Life Flight has been able to conduct many specialized transports, including
In addition, Life Flight operated a Bo 105 helicopter, also built by MBB. It featured dual engines, double patient load capacity and a high skid configuration to improve safety around the tail rotor.
In 2007, Life Flight purchased 6 new
Life Flight has experienced only one fatal crash killing the pilot John Pittman, paramedic Charles R. "Mac" Atteberry and flight nurse Lynn Ethridge. It happened in 1999 and resulted from helicopter manufacturing flaws in the previously used BK-117 helicopter model — the tension torsion strap unraveled, sending the aircraft to the ground.
Operations
Life Flight operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year within a 150-mile radius of
Crew
Life Flight's crew is made up of helicopter pilots, flight nurses, flight paramedics, and flight mechanics. The aviation and medical staff have over 250 combined years of medical transport experience.
The medical crew continue their training and education with recurrent skills training and maintain
Current bases
Life Flight operates out of five bases in the greater Houston area.
- North Base (Hooks): David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport 1st through the 15th of the month
- North Base (Woodlands): Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital 16th through 30th of the month
- East Base: Baytown Airport
- South Base: Pearland Regional Airport
- West Base South: Memorial Hermann Sugarland Hospital 1st through the 15th of the month
- West Base North: Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital 16th through 30th of the month
- Central Base: John S. Dunn Helistop at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center
Helicopter features
- Pre-hospital blood product administration (PRBC/FFP)
- Portable blood warmers
- Ultrasound diagnostics
- Double load capacity
- Larger cabin permitting for CPR in the aircraft
- Clot-busting agents for STEMI
- Direct access to cath labfor STEMI
- Direct access to CTfor stroke
- iStat portable blood analyzer
- Video-assisted intubations
- Hemostatic agentsfor blood clotting
- Night vision gogglesfor all crew members
- Twin-engine aircraft allows for higher patient weight loading and faster response times
- Pediatric and neonataltransport
Gallery
-
Patient being loaded into Life Flight's now retired BK 117 aircraft.
-
Life Flight lands on scene in western Austin County.
-
TwoEC145helicopters operated by Memorial Hermann Life Flight
-
An EC145 Lands at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center during Hurricane Harvey
See also
References
- ^ "Texas". Retrieved 21 April 2017.
- ^ "AOPA airports/aptdetail.cfm". 3 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
- ^ "Life Flight® - Medical and Aviation Staff". Retrieved 21 April 2017.
- ^ "Research Studies and Clinical Trials". Retrieved 21 April 2017.
- ^ "Memorial Hermann to upgrade Life Flight fleet". Archived from the original on 24 December 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
- ^ Department, Pasadena Volunteer Fire. "Pasadena Volunteer Fire Department - News". Retrieved 21 April 2017.