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Mon Mar 2 02:36:19 GMT 2009

I gave you an example of a two hour drive or a twelve minute flight for a
teenager in shock and you still opted to forgo the helicopter.  One hour
preflight and unloading time?  Don't we have to unload the ambulance?  If
you don't think you are closed minded on this subject you are fooling
yourself.

My point was there are some folks who are against the flights no matter
what. And although they may be overused they do have a legitimate use.

V/R

Forrest Robleto
R House Health & Safety
www.RHouseTraining.com
FRobleto at RhouseTraining.com
609-792-9047

Groucho Marx  - "I have had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't
it."

On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 9:08 PM, Stephen Richey <stephen.richey at gmail.com>wrote:

> On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 8:18 PM, Forrest Robleto <farcpr at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Ian,
> >
> > You're correct of course.  Given all the variability the EMT on the scene
> > often has to make a tough decision.  But sometimes it's not all that
> tough,
> > if you have a shocky teenager from an MVA and traffic has you two hours
> > from
> > the trauma center and it's a 12 minute flight, most of the variables go
> > away.
>
>
> Let's not forget that that "12 minute flight" is going to be more like an
> hour given the dispatch time, the preflight, the response to the scene, the
> on-scene assessment and treatment by the helicopter crew, the return to the
> hospital and then unloading of the victim.   Perhaps the best option is to
> transport them to the closest hospital and have the helicopter meet you
> there (assuming you really think it is necessary to transfer them out)?
>
> >
> >
> > I know that helo's are inherently dangerous but so are motor vehicles.
>  The
> > ambulance is not the safest means of travel.
>
>
> Actually, compared to the other alternative (helicopters), ground
> ambulances
> are a relatively safe mode of transportation.
>
> >
> >
> > There are some folks who are predisposed to downplay the usefulness of
> the
> > medical helicopter out of hand.  There are times when it's right and
> times
> > when it's not but I knew that Stephen would pickup on the family arriving
> > first statement.
> >
>
> I don't dismiss their utility out of hand.  Remember, I flew aeromedical
> transfers while in the Air Force.   They have their place, just like any
> other tool.  The problem is that I see them being used as a very risky and
> very expensive alternative to proper triage and treatment in many areas.
> The one thing that (for lack of a better phrase) pisses me off about the
> 'we
> need helicopters in our rural area because our EMTs are bad and we can't
> afford medics" argument is that it is exactly that sort of sentiment that
> holds EMS back.  If your EMTs are bad- retrain them and fire the ones who
> can't or won't come up to an acceptable level of competency (even if they
> are volunteers, you can still fire them).  The utility of medics is still
> questionable in trauma and even in other settings, so the best thing that
> can be done in a lot of situations is to push for top notch BLS care and
> supplement that with a handful of medics (even if it is on an "intercept"
> basis from a regional ALS service rather than "local" medics) based on the
> call volume.
>
>
> > He is to helo's what Lou Dobb's was to aliens.
> >
>
> Thank you?  I think.....not really sure what you are referring to.  If that
> is referring to the fact that I take the stance that until I have credible
> proof that an otherwise outlandish claim- be it that exposing a lot of
> people to a greater risk for what appears to be no benefit to most, minimal
> benefit to a handful and great benefit to one in several thousand or to the
> existence of aliens, Sasquatch, etc- is defensible I will be skeptical,
> then
> I agree and believe that you paid me a compliment.  If you are trying to
> peg
> me as someone who is closeminded and unwilling to see alternative
> positions,
> then you have taken my prior posts in completely the wrong manner.
>
>
> --
> Stephen L. Richey, CRT
>  --
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