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Mon Sep 28 12:19:23 BST 2009

So sad - I am sure that I am not alone in extending my condolences to the families and friends - and colleagues - of these three dedicated health care givers.  We have lost another 3 of our own.

I have long been adverse to regulation of the civilian aeromedical system, but in light of the events of the past year, perhaps it is due to prevent the further loss of life of folks who have dedicated their lives to saving others..............

-----Original Message-----
From: trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org [mailto:trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org] On Behalf Of Stephen Richey
Sent: Saturday, September 26, 2009 5:56 PM
To: Discussion of Critical Care Medicine; Trauma &amp, Critical Care mailing list; Bryan Bledsoe; kmattox
Subject: Medical Helicopter Crash

http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=11203119

Victims ID'd in fatal helicopter crash; NTSB investigating
Posted: Sep 26, 2009 9:34 AM EDT Updated: Sep 26, 2009 5:27 PM EDT

Helicopter crash kills 3

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - Officials have released the identities
of the three Omniflight crew members killed in a helicopter crash late
Friday night in Georgetown County.

Officials with Omniflight Helicopters say the helicopter, traveling
from Charleston to Conway, crashed 63 miles into its flight along a
wooded area of Whitehall Road off of US-17 in Georgetown County,
killing its crew.

Pilot Patrick Walter, 45, flight nurse Diana Conner, 42, and paramedic
Randolph Claxon-Dove, 39, died in the crash. Walters had been with
Omniflight for four years, Conner for one year and Claxon-Dove for
three years.

NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson says no patients were on board.

Georgetown County Coroner Kenny Johnson said the bodies of the victims
were taken to MUSC, but were having difficulties identifying the
victims' bodies because they were severely burned.

A crisis team is on standby to assist families of the victims.

Omniflight Vice President Joel Hochhalter says Friday's crash is the
first of its kind in at least 10 years. The American Eurocopter
AS350B2 was the only helicopter based in Conway, and the company is
suspending service for the time being. When crews are able to resume
service, Hochhalter said the company will send another chopper.

Hochhalter noted the 2000 model helicopter only had about 1,350
service hours on it, and was a third of its way through its service
life, adding it was reliable. He said the helicopter had never had
mechanical problems and to talk about what went wrong would be "pure
speculation."

The helicopter is equipped with a satellite tracking system,
Hochhalter explained, which last tracked at 12:38 p.m.

At a press conference at Georgetown County Airport with officials from
Omniflight and Midway Fire-Rescue and Georgetown County officials, Sam
Hodge, manager of Georgetown County Emergency Management, said it's
too early to rule out what might have caused the crash.

"Omniflight is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of its crew members
and wishes to express its deepest regrets and sincerest condolences to
the families and friends of those who lost their lives," the company
said in a statement Saturday.

The helicopter was scheduled to be featured at the Georgetown Fire and
Life Safety Expo on Saturday. Organizers opted to continue with the
event after the crash, and dedicated the expo in honor of the three
victims.

"It's a major loss," said Surfside Beach Fire Marshal Greg
Faulkenberry, who knew the victims, noting they had become family over
his 15 years of service. "These folks I've worked with and now to know
that they gone, it's just... it's a member of your family. There's no
two ways about it. The fire services, EMS, police - we are all a big
family, no matter what role you do. To lose a part of that family, it
just really hurts."

Officials say they lost contact with the American Eurocopter AS350B2
helicopter around 11:18 p.m. A search was initiated shortly after the
aircraft failed to report to Omniflight's communication center.

Hodge said crews arrived at the crash scene around 2 a.m., noting
there was some severe weather at the time, but would not say if it
played a role in the accident.

Hodge said it has been more than 10 years since an aircraft went down
in Georgetown County, and since the 1980s since a helicopter crashed
there.

A Regional One Medical Air Service helicopter crashed in a heavily
wooded area near Jalapa, SC after picking up a patient in Northern
Newberry County in July 2004. Three Spartanburg rescue workers and a
patient onboard were killed in that accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and officials with the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are en route to the scene for a
full investigation.

The NTSB is making safety recommendations for medical choppers after
2008, the deadliest year ever for the medical helicopter industry - 23
crew members and five patients died in seven accidents in 2008.
Medical helicopters are not regulated by the NTSB, but according to
the Washington Post, the agency recommended choppers use terrain
warning systems, flight data records and night vision systems.

-- 
Stephen Richey, CRT

"A man's moral worth is established only at the point where he is
ready to give up his life in defense of his convictions."- Henning von
Tresckow
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