Air Evac Lifeteam enters second level of FAA safety project

Air Evac Lifeteam enters second level of FAA safety project

20-Oct-2011 Source: Air Evac Lifeteam

Air Evac Lifeteam, the largest independently-owned air ambulance service in the country, has entered the second level of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Safety Management System Voluntary Pilot Project, further bolstering the company’s commitment to safety and risk management.Air Evac Lifeteam Director of Safety Dave Hardin explained that Air Evac Lifeteam’s voluntary participation in the FAA’s Safety Management System (SMS) pilot project is rooted in the company’s desire to further promote a robust safety culture and enhance their risk management processes. “We feel a Safety Management System is the right thing to do for the bottom line of safety,” said Hardin. “Our goal is to ensure the overall safety of our patients, crew, and those entrusted to our care. A Safety Management System puts us in a better position to accomplish this goal.”

The national helicopter EMS company, operating 104 bases in 15 states, has been enrolled in the SMS pilot project since February 2010, although systemic safety processes have been in place at Air Evac since 2001 and a formalized system in place since 2009. As described by Hardin, SMS is the systemic approach to the management of risk, and encompasses a wide spectrum of reactive and proactive processes to reduce the aviation accident rate and ensure a safer work environment in the industry. Having an SMS is strictly voluntary and not mandated by the FAA.

Air Evac Lifeteam has been one of the front runner’s in implementing safety systems long before regulatory mandates “because it’s the right thing to do” says Hardin. Air Evac was the first helicopter EMS operator, in 2004, to design and implement an Enhanced Operational Control Center (EOCC) staffed with trained and experienced aviation professionals to assist their flight crews with timely and accurate weather information, flight risk assessment, and developing Risk Mitigation strategies to safely and effectively accomplish their mission. With high-tech weather monitoring, flight mapping software and satellite tracking at their fingertips, the Operational Controllers are able to act as a “virtual co-pilot” to the entire fleet, anywhere in the nation, at any time.

Air Evac Lifeteam’s commitment to safety is evident in the company’s decision to utilize dedicated flight simulators beginning in 2005 to implement scenario-based training for new pilots and recurrent pilot training. And, in 2010, the company became the largest operator to achieve 100% NVG (Night Vision Goggles) operations for all bases and aircraft.

With over 2,300 employees across 15 states, Air Evac Lifeteam has flown more than 500,000 flight hours since the company’s inception in 1985. Air Evac’s SMS currently includes trend analysis, hazard reporting, a Just Culture of Safety, a non-punitive employee reporting system, risk mitigation, internal evaluation programs, risk assessment, and a flight/maintenance quality assurance program. This systemic approach of an SMS has resulted in marked safety improvements at Air Evac in recent years, said Hardin.

“With continual safety improvement processes, senior management embraces SMS and ensures the appropriate resources are made available for safety initiatives, safety assessments and implementation of risk mitigation strategies. Air Evac Lifeteam remains committed to achieving a fully-implemented Level 4 SMS,” said Air Evac Lifeteam President Seth Myers.

Air Evac Lifeteam is also the largest operator to achieve CAMTS accreditation under one name.

Hardin said the ultimate goal for Air Evac Lifeteam is simple. “We’re working as a team to strive for zero accidents in our aviation operations and in our workplace,” he said. “We’re proud to participate in the FAA’s SMS pilot project, and we will continue working to meet the safety needs of our employees and our patients.”

For more information about Air Evac Lifeteam services or employment opportunities, call 1-800-793-0010 or visit www.lifeteam.net.

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