Crash turns focus on air transport safety
Wednesday night's crash of a medical emergency helicopter in Aurora has left some questioning if such air transport is safe, or even necessary.
Dr. Ryan Bledsoe, a former air flight paramedic who now teaches trauma-related classes at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, said Thursday that studies of the medical air transport industry nationwide underscore the problems of such flights, and call into question whether such flights are really worth the danger.
"It's no endeavor to be approached lightly," Bledsoe told The Beacon News. "But it has become so ingrained in the culture that it seems to be overused."
Bledsoe wrote an article published in 2004 in The Journal of Trauma, quoting a study of air medical transport over a 10-year period, which said roughly two out of three air transport flights taken actually are for non-medical emergencies.
This year has been one of the worst ever for air medical transport accidents, with 14 accidents nationwide resulting in 29 deaths.
Bledsoe said air medical transport has increased greatly in the past several years. In 2001, Medicare increased its funding for the transports and more and more companies appeared. He said that has made the industry competitive and has forced them to market themselves more.
Mike Dermont, director of business development for Air Angels, said the number of companies in the Chicago area has about tripled since the company was founded in 1998. He said that accounts for the higher number of accidents in recent years.
"With the increase in the number of helicopter flights, there is an increase in incidences," he said.
Air Angels also experienced a fatal crash in 2003, when a pilot taking a helicopter from DuPage Airport in West Chicago to refuel crashed and died in bad weather. In 2007, an Air Angels helicopter touched some wires and was forced to make an emergency landing near the Aurora Municipal Airport in Sugar Grove. No one was hurt in that incident.
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF AIR ANGELS CRASH
Photos: Kirstin laid to rest
Photos: Workers fix radio tower
Photos: Copter crash probe begins
Photos: Family's mourning begins
Photos: The victims
Photos: Crash scene
Twitter: Latest developments
Map: Crash site
Tears, rain fall as tiny crash victim buried
Flight nurse a hero: 'Gave his life for little baby'
Hero's selfless final act offers some solace'
Monday stories
NTSB gets surveillance video Leland girl killed in crash laid to rest
Sunday stories
Close-knit town asks to mourn in private
Work finishes on damaged radio tower
Saturday stories
Tower work complete, residents may return
In wind, rain, workers chop up radio tower
Radio tower well-known to local pilots
Friday stories
Radio tower dismantled after helicopter crash
Family of tiniest victim mourns flight crew
Helicopter crash probe could take months
Residents evacuating apartments near tower
Witnesses describe the fiery crash
Air Angels: 'We look at what's best for the patient'
FAA under pressure to improve safety for EMS flights
Crash turns focus on air transport safety
Helicopter crew remembered as heroes
Shock settles on emergency response crews
Thursday stories
Aurora helicopter crash kills Air Angels crew, child
Friends speak of Air Angels crew's dedication
Witness: Debris rained down from the sky
NTSB investigating cause of crash
Police ask residents near crash to evacuate
Last Air Angels crash in Fox Valley 5 years ago
