HELICOPTER AMBULANCE STUDY - FINAL REPORT

STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE HOW EFFECTIVE A HELICOPTER AMBULANCE COULD BE IN INCREASING THE CHANGES OF SURVIVAL OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS. IT WAS FELT THAT TRAVEL TIME SHOULD BE REDUCED PARTICULARLY IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT WHERE TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND OTHER FACTORS COULD DELAY CONVENTIONAL AMBULANCE RESPONSE TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. THE STUDY ANALYZED THE REACTIONS OF THOSE TRANSPORTED, THE OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS OF LANDING AT ACCIDENT SITES AND HOSPITALS, RESTRICTIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, HELICOPTER CHARACTERISTICS, POSSIBLE AREA COVERAGE, COSTS AND NON- MEDICAL USES OF THE HELICOPTER. THE NEED FOR HELICOPTER AMBULANCE SERVICE WAS DETERMINED BY THE OFFICER AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE. DURING THIS FOUR-MONTHS TRIAL, 14 REQUESTS FOR HELICOPTER SERVICE WERE RECEIVED. THE HELICOPTER PATROLLED HEAVILY-TRAVELLED CORRIDORS DURING MORNING AND EVENING PEAK TRAFFIC HOURS. IT DETECTED DISABLED VEHICLES AND DISPATCHED ASSISTANCE, AND REPORTED MINOR ACCIDENTS AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION TO GROUND UNITS. ALTHOUGH 58% OF THE PATROLS RECORDED A USEFUL SERVICE OF SOME TYPE BEING PERFORMED, THE LACK OF REQUESTS FOR AMBULANCE SERVICE CUASED CONCERN. INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED THAT COMPETITION BETWEEN AMBULANCE CLUBS WAS HIGH, AND IN THE MAJORITY OF CASES THE LOCAL POLICE ELECTED NOT TO REQUEST THE HELICOPTER. THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT THE HELICOPTER CAN IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF MEDICAL SERVICE BY REDUCING TRAVEL TIME EVEN IN AN AREA WHERE EXISTING AMBULANCE SERVICE IS CONSIDERED TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE. CITIZENRY READILY ACCEPTED THIS MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD FUNCTION AS PART OF A REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER IN COOPERATION WITH OTHER EMERGENCY SERVICES WITHIN THE REGION.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Project No EM68-1-001, 64 FIG, 14 TAB, 12 REF, 1 APP
• Corporate Authors:

  Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

  1215 Transportation and Safety Building
  Harrisburg, PA  United States  17120
• Authors:
  • COLEMAN, R R
• Publication Date: 1969-5

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Disasters and emergency operations; Emergency vehicles; Hazards and emergency operations; Helicopters; Medical services; Traffic congestion; Traffic crashes; Traffic incidents; Traffic patrol; Travel time
• Uncontrolled Terms: Disabled vehicles
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00220644
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 12 1970 12:00AM