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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 12, 2004)
Page 2 Air Currents Just A Phone Call Away Autolaunch program speeds helicopter to severe trauma It might be a frantic phone call from a mother whose child found a loaded handgun. It might be a summons from a motorist who witnessed a massive car accident. With Air Life’s Autolaunch program, those heartbreaking calls from community members can be enough to set the helicopter in motion. In most emergency situations, 911 operators dispatch the closest ground ambulance crew to the scene. However, Air Life’s Autolaunch program gives dispatchers the option of sending Air Life’s helicopter crew simultaneously in cases where air transport is most likely to make a difference. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ sions, passenger ejections, semi-trucks or any street motorcycle at highway speed Any trauma involving prolonged extrication in a remote geographic area Severe head injury Amputation of arm or leg Penetrating trauma (i.e. stabbing, shooting or impaled objects) between the groin and head Major burns covering 25 percent of the body Near drowning Mass casualty incidents Industrial or logging accidents Currently, the Autolaunch pro “With many types of trauma, the ground gram is limited to agencies in crew will respond first and then call us Bend, to the scene if they Redmond. think the patient The Autolaunch program establishes protocols for 911 dispatchers to La Pine, should be flown,” send the helicopter to the scene of certain severe traumas, including ‘‘There are some situations where Sunriver, explained flight nurse major motor vehicle accidents, amputations and severe head injuries. we know at the outset that the Sisters, Black Grant Boswell, RN, program and one of only a handful of Butte, Prineville, CRFN, Air Life’s patient will benefit from Air Life elite air ambulance services around the Madras and Warm Autolaunch coordina arriving on scene sooner. nation to do so. According to Air Life Springs. Though tor. “Though that’s still — Grant Boswell, RN Medical Director Helenka Marcinek, MD, Autolaunch has existed the best option in it all comes down to offering what’s best since 2001, Air Life has many cases, there are for the patient. recently been working some situations where to increase awareness about the we know at the outset that the patient “The statistics we’ve gathered so far program and offer additional training to will benefit from Air Life arriving on indicate that it’s very valuable to reduce dispatchers who might be called upon to scene sooner." the amount of time in the field for make a decision to launch the helicopter. severely injured patients,” Marcinek Some instances where Autolaunch explained. “The sooner you can get a So far, the program has been well would be appropriate include: trauma patient to a facility where they received by ground ambulance providers can get definitive care, the better the and dispatchers alike. Air Life is the first ♦ Major motor vehicle accidents, partic outcome is likely to be.” program in Oregon to implement such a ularly those involving head-on colli ” -------H ------ Air Life Director Vem Bartley talks with volunteers from around the state at the team training event on April 24. Volunteers learned about changes in the program and gathered information to share with members of their community. Please join us in welcoming the three newest members of our Air Life family. . . Denise Anderson, RT Respiratory Therapist Volunteers get fired up at team training Kim Koiander, RN Flight Nurse f, , ‘f if e - J tr They came from Fossil. They came from Lakeview. Some traveled more than 350 miles. In all, about 100 volunteers came to Bend April 24 for Air Life’s annual team training event. the public about what Air Life does.” Team training takes place each spring to prepare Air Life’s dedicated volunteer troops to educate their communities about Air Life. At the event. Air Life highlighted the La Pine volunteer team for an out standing year of service. Madras volunteer Debi Wyzard — also the first Air Life patient ever flown — received the First Sustaining Volunteer Award for her 16 years of dedicated service. “They’re our ambassadors through out the state," explained Joyce Newgen, Air Life membership assis tant. “Air Life's volunteer teams are crucial to our mission of educating “Volunteers are the cornerstone of our program." Joyce added. “It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to meet with the people who serve as our eyes and ears in outlying areas." Julie Barbour. RN : f Perinatal Flight Nurse
