Medevac transport safety, and that of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) in particular, is a focal point of this year’s Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC), which is set for October 11-13, 2010, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Not-to-be-missed HEMS safety regulatory-related conference highlights include details from Administration (FAA) officials regarding the FAA’s soon-to-be-released Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM); and a briefing from Government Accountability Office (GAO) representatives regarding the GAO’s much-anticipated examination of the scope and regulation of the air medical industry, a study that comes at the request of leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. In addition, officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will share what has been learned from recent accidents, and what should be done to prevent them in the future.

The GAO session takes place on Monday, Oct. 11 from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. while the back-to-back FAA and NTSB briefings are set for Tuesday, Oct. 12, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., respectively, in the Greater Fort Lauderdale/ Broward County Convention Center.

Other key safety-focused conference events and session offerings include:

· Safety Management Systems (SMS) 101: Familiarization, Lessons Learned and Current Industry Best Practices (AAMS pre-conference session) – SMS is considered an accreditation best practice and will soon enter the FAA’s rule making process. This is an opportunity to more about this important initiative from the architect and head of the FAA’s SMS Program Office – Sunday, Oct. 10, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

· Your Heliport, Your Life – Know the rules and who is responsible for what, as well as the liability issues a program and hospital face every time a helicopter lands or takes off from any heliport and what can be done to fix the problems that arise – Monday, Oct. 11, 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m.

· So I Fell Out of the Sky…Who What: Panel Discussion – The founders of the Survivor’s Network for Air & Surface Medical Transport tell their stories of surviving air-medical crashes and what they are doing to help others in similar circumstances – Monday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

· Ground Transport Safety: Are We Safe? – A brief discussion of how the medevac transport industry can help increase safety during critical-care ground transports and an open discussion with participants regarding how they have incorporated safety into their systems – Monday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

· Safety: Educating Using a Communication Forum – A detailed explanation of what happens behind the scenes when a medical helicopter is requested along with an outline of when helicopters fly, and recent industry incidents that have led to an increase in medical helicopter crashes – Monday, Oct.11, 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

· Opportunities for Safety Improvement in HEMS: A Multi-Discipline Safety Research Project and HEMS Accident Analysis: The State of the Union presentations by Ira Blumen, MD, FACEP, University of Chicago Medical Center, based on his nationally recognized research focusing on safety improvement in HEMS – Tuesday, Oct. 12, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

· Quantum Safety Metrics – Talking about safety is great, but to be really safe, one needs to use the proper tools to Measure – Mitigate – Measure – Wednesday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

· An Environment of Safety: Adding an Air Medical Safety Goal to your State Strategic Plan – A discussion of the 2009 Florida AeroMedical Association’s Air Medical Safety Summit, which resulted in the adoption of an air medical safety goal in Florida and how this goal can be achieved this in any state – Wed., Oct. 12, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

In addition, the National EMS Pilots Association (NEMPSA) will release its Helipad Report on Tuesday, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Still other offerings include You Say You Have a SMS, Now What?; Green Acres, Big Dangers; Flight Safety Networking; How Can We Maintain Excellence in an Ever-Changing World of Air Medial Dispatch?; Fit, Forty and Flying; Safety Is No Mystery; Safety: Educating Using a Communication Forum; Five Dysfunctions of the Communications Center Team; Teaching Safety with Stories; Managing Risk in the Communication Center; Do You Know Where Your Helicopter Is?; Solving Substandard Care –The Other Side of Safety; An Environment of Safety: Adding an Air medical Safety Goal to Your State Strategic Plan; You Think You’ve Had a Bird Strike; and NVG or IFR: A Peek at the Costs.

Safety-focused Scientific Assembly research and education exhibit hall presentations include Ambulance Safety for the 21 st Century; An Eight-Year Review of Backcountry HEMS Hoists; Dispatcher-Initiated Auto Launch (DIAL); Flight Crew Fatigue After 24-Hour Shifts; and Pilot Safety Survey: Concept Mapping.

In addition, do not miss the Vision Zero Booth (#1724) in the Exhibit Hall, a project spearheaded by flight nurse and HEMS accident survivor Jonathan Godfrey, which is aimed at building a better safety culture through raising awareness, education and personal vigilance.

The exhibit hall also will house many safety related products and consulting services, including such safety technologies as night-vision goggles, terrain awareness and warning systems, and weather reporting tools; risk-assessment programs; and safety-training programs.

About AMTC
AMTC is a one-stop shop for access to representatives from myriad key aviation and health-care-related organizations. Organizers include the Association of Air Medical Services, the Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association, the Air Medical Physician Association, the International Association of Flight Paramedics, the National Association of Air Medical Communication Specialists, and the National EMS Pilots Association.

Members of the media can obtain credentials, arrange interviews and get conference news onsite at the registration desk or by contacting Cindy Price at cprice@aams.org. For a list of sessions, please click here.

About AAMS
The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is the only international trade association serving the entire air and ground medical transport community. AAMS strives to enhance the medical transport industry by promoting the highest level of industry safety; promoting quality patient care; inspiring commitment to the industry’s work, causes, and viability; and providing superior service to its members.