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