SRT Helicopters, a leading training organization specializing in disaster relief operations and planning for military, law enforcement and public services agencies in the U.S. and around the world, recently completed a successful year-long disaster response training program at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, Calif.

With SRT’s help, Good Samaritan Hospital, recognized by Healthgrades, Inc., as one of America’s 50 best hospitals for the last four years in a row, successfully designed and implemented a comprehensive disaster response plan and trained key personnel in National Incident Management System procedures as well as incident command, hazardous material first response and hazardous material medical management. SRT’s extensive hands-on curriculum, covering every aspect of emergency management, complements Good Samaritan’s eight Centers of Excellence, including Emergency Services, all of which emphasize medical science improvement while providing outstanding patient care.

Good Samaritan’s Emergency Department, one of the busiest in Los Angeles, handles more than 18,400 visits each year. In addition to its extensive treatment and diagnostic facilities, the department works with the Acute Myocardial Intervention and Maternal Transport Programs, with two fully equipped ambulances, a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft that have safely transported more than 12,000 patients to facilitate treatment.

“SRT’s training has significantly improved Good Samaritan’s readiness to handle emergency situations,” said Angel Rodriguez, Good Samaritan’s Director of Engineering. “The staff’s knowledge, expertise and extensive experience in planning for and managing emergency events will enable the hospital to provide exceptional service to Los Angeles residents if and when any disaster strikes. Thanks to SRT, we have fully integrated disaster preparedness into the hospital’s operational plans.”

“Our goal is to provide realistic training that ensures emergency personnel are ready for unusual and unexpected situations,” said Chris Gadbois, SRT president and CEO. “The year-long curriculum we devised for Good Samaritan focused on establishing procedures that take full advantage of the hospital’s extensive resources and capabilities to ensure that everyone involved in any emergency, regardless of its nature and scope, can provide optimal support to those in need when disasters arise.”

Good Samaritan Hospital is a world-class academic medical center affiliated with both the USC and UCLA Schools of Medicine. The hospital, with 408 licensed beds, offers outstanding state-of-the-art diagnostic, surgical and therapeutic care. The main hospital, built in 1976, is seismic compliant. Good Samaritan’s capabilities include an acclaimed oncology program specializing in gynecological, breast, brain and prostate cancers. Each year the hospital admits about 17,000 patients (excluding newborns) and handles more than 93,500 outpatient visits.  Staff performs more than 4,000 deliveries and 8,000 surgeries annually in 18 surgical suites. The hospital employs more than 1,500 medical, technical and administrative professionals, including about 600 physicians in all medical specialties.

About SRT
SRT, based in Bakersfield, Calif., is a full service helicopter company that specializes in providing high-risk operational services and training for private business, military, local, state, and federal agencies.  Founded in 1989 by Christian Gadbois, a helicopter instructor pilot and expert in aviation emergency services with more than 30 years of experience in the field, SRT has assembled a training staff comprised of working professionals who regularly respond to real-world missions.

The expert staff ensures that the company’s training methods and curriculum are current, relevant, and designed to address real-life operational scenarios. SRT training is customized to meet the requirements of each customer’s missions and includes initial and recurrent pilot training; CRM/human factors for aircrew and management personnel; technical rescue training including hoist operations and maintenance; incident management and incident command training; special operations, including airborne use of force; and operations in austere environments.