Delays in Meeting Statutory Requirement and Oversight Challenges Reduce FAA's Opportunities to Enhance HEMS Safety

Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) operators play a critical role in the aviation industry by providing reliable and efficient transportation of patients to critical medical care facilities, often under challenging circumstances and environments. In 2012, through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (FMRA), Congress provided an important roadmap to enhance the safety of the HEMS industry, and FAA’s recently issued HEMS Rule is a good first step toward realization of FMRA goals. However, continued delays in finalizing the remaining mandates, involving data gathering, storing and reporting efforts, affect FAA’s ability to focus its accident reduction efforts and limit the effectiveness of safety initiatives. Additionally, until FAA updates key oversight policies and obtains meaningful safety data to analyze for trends, it will not be well positioned to effectively oversee a rapidly expanding HEMS industry. Recommendations and Agency comments are included.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/FAA%20HEMS%20Progress%20and%20Oversight%20Final%20Report%5E4-8-15.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Department of Transportation

  Office of Inspector General, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Publication Date: 2015-4-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Audit Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 23p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air ambulances; Aviation safety; Crash data; Data analysis; Data collection; Emergency medical services; Helicopter transportation; Recommendations
• Identifier Terms: FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012; U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Aviation; Data and Information Technology; Safety and Human Factors; I10: Economics and Administration; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01560953
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: AV-2015-039
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 24 2015 10:24AM