Air Flight Transporting & Hot Loading Training

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It has become an increasing necessity for many fire departments to utilize airship transportation for patients and accident victims who are in a critical state after a tragic incident. Time, distance and traffic factors are the usual determinate points in using air transportation. However, with this effective tool comes some extremely crucial safety points for firefighters and first responders. Training becomes a vital element to the use of air transportation, as the airship crew, firefighters and ambulance personnel all need to work together, being mindful of the danger points involved in hot loading a patient to the aircraft.

"Number one for us is always safety. So, it needs to be a safe operation not only for the helicopter crew, the ambulance crew and as well as the fire department. And by doing this type of training, or these type of drills, it gives an opportunity to go in a step-by-step fashion without the pressure of it being an emergency scene, so that everybody works safely together and we work together as a team with AMR and the  ambulance, as well as the airship," expressed Captain Phil Loncar with the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Department. "In that kind of scenario, we have to take into consideration when they've landed. Now if they haven't landed on a flat surface, if there's any grade at all, it causes the rotor blades to be closer to the ground on one side of the ship than the other. Coordination with us, as well as with the airship, they'll tell us what side they want us to approach the helicopter so that we are approaching the safest side first."

Other crucial factors in a hot loading situation involve the heat from the exhaust, avoiding the tail rotor and being positioned correctly during the loading process. Pilot Martin Schubert with the Upland Fire Department explained, "Well we have the hot engine exhaust that is coming off of the aircraft. If you're not ready for it and haven't experienced it, then it can be quite astonishing how hot it is as you come underneath the aircraft."

Jim Goldsworthy, also with the Upland Fire Department, claimed that the rotor can be very deceiving. "Even though it's a closed system, you'll look at it and swear it's not moving. In today's exercise, take a second to look over there and look at it. You'll swear it's not moving, and it's extremely dangerous," he added. Being very conscious about how a first responder is using their legs is also important, according to Luis Cervantes with Upland Fire. Cervantes added, "...because the last thing you want to do is carry a 200 pound guy here and try to push him in, and then you hurt your back. Extremely important."

"A lot of times on emergency calls, we may get there within that four minutes that want to respond, but it may be an extrication. We have to take them out of the vehicle and maybe a collapsed building. Those things take time. And time is not on your side when somebody is hurt. So using the airship, definitely at times can put the time back in the favor of the patient," stated Captain Phil Loncar.

While not every serious call requires an air transport, the preparation by a first responder for such a scenario becomes an important aspect in assuring that every patient gets a fighting chance to survive.



Author:J.R. Ybarra - Video; Renee Marquart - Text