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VOL 6, NO. 8 AUGUST 2013
Soldier HonorS Program and HoSPital witH PriceleSS giftIn two separate ceremonies, U.S. Army Captain Ashley Blessum presented to GHS Med Trans and Greer Memorial Hospital a United States flag that flew over her base in Sharana, Afghanistan while serving our country. Ashley is the daughter of Bob Blessum, a pilot with GHS Med Trans and Nancy Blessum, an RN at Greer Memorial.
Ashley stated that the base flew a flag each day dedicated to individuals and groups back home that were supporting the troops efforts through various means. GHS Med Trans and Greer Memorial Hospital were both instru-mental in collecting items for care packages which were sent to the troops during her tour in Afghanistan. Ashley recalled how on occasion due to the uncertainty and hardship of war they found themselves without the resources to provide a daily meal. These care packages en-sured our troops that they had back-up sources when this occurred. Granola bars and packaged oatmeal were invaluable. Our troops certainly deserve better than that.
Ashley has served our country above and beyond having already completed two tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. We at GHS Med Trans are beyond humbled that in the clutch of war she would take the time to think of us. Her gift is priceless and we will display it at our base with a profound honor. It is our hope that each day as this flag is viewed in our base that we will be reminded of the tremendous dedica-tion and sacrifice that our men and women of the armed forces are making for us so that we are able to cherish our freedom.
Bob, Ashley, and Nancy Blessum at GHS Med Trans
Bob, Nancy, Ashley, and John Mansure, president Greer Memorial Hospital.
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medical fligHt crewS training at VcomMedical crews who typically fly over the South Carolina skies have been grounded at a Spartanburg college re-cently, taking turns facing a grisly scenario.
Two-person crews from Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, Charleston, Flor-ence and Augusta, Ga. have been training at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicines Carolinas Campus.
The three-day event was meant to prepare them for rare but potentially deadly accidents, officials said.
The crews, which fall under the umbrella of Med-Trans Corp., handle the direst of emergencies in the state, carrying patients at speeds of more than 150 miles per hour on helicopters bound for some of the states best hospitals.
Over the course of the training, more than 60 flight paramedics and nurses
worked closely on VCOMs state-of-the-art simulators and in the schools cadaver lab, said Chris Martin, director of simulation at VCOMs Carolinas Campus.
Martin designed the scenario faced by the crews when they step into the sun out-doors, in the shadow of VCOMs looming smokestack.
In it, a man named Larry Angelo in honor of the doctor in the 1992 sci-fi hor-ror movie The Lawnmower Man has been injured when his riding lawnmower overturned and severed his left leg and arm.
The scenario, loosely based on real events, was dj vu for at least one flight medic from Anderson, who said hed seen a similar accident.
Angelo is played by one of VCOMs simulation mannequins. Martin, who
designed the scenario and oversaw it from a bank of computers, traded in two of the mannequins limbs for their bloody and mutilated counterparts.
The mannequin is as real as possible it moans, breathes and bleeds.
Thats the sight that greeted Justin Van Damme and Mary Springer, a flight paramedic and flight nurse for Charleston-based MeduCare Air, when they walked into the scenario.
In a matter of minutes, the pair had applied tourniquets and began treat-ing Angelos pain while talking to the simulator. They lifted him onto a stretcher and wheeled it under a tent that, for the
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in memory of raymond d. anderSon August 1, 1944 - July 15, 2013Raymond Dale Anderson, 68 passed away in Lubbock, Tx July 15th. 2013 was born on August 1, 1944 in Oakland California at Oak Noll Naval Hos-pital. He served in the U.S. Army from 1965-1970 receiving honors as decorated soldier in Vietnam. He then served his country again in the Army National Guard from 1975-1980. He received multiple prestigious medals and distinguished awards during his times of served. He married the love of his life, Patricia Smith on November 27, 1976. He continued his passion for work as a helicopter pilot - Flying the United States Geologists into Mt. St. Helens during active eruption in
the attempt to capture real life images of the volcano; He also flew the filmography crew for the Fires of Kuwait on IMAX; and
finally the last 21 years with the medical flight crews of Aero Care and Life Star - helping save lives
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medUcare air ViSitS U.S. coaSt gUard air facilityA MEDUCARE crew consisting of Debbie Anders (Nurse), Bubba Dunlap (PM), Simon Barlett and Peter Broda (Pilots), recently visited the U.S. Coast Guard Air Facility in Charleston, SC. The Coast Guard crew included Petty Officer Eric Hanssen (Flight Mechanic), Petty Officer Evan Staph (Rescue Swimmer/EMT), LTJG Kyle Richter (Co-Pilot), and LT Frank Minopolis (Aircraft Commander). The Coast Guard Air Station in Savan-nah, GA, maintains the Charleston facility and provides a helicopter and air crew 24/7/365.
MEDUCARE and the Coast Guard exchanged gifts and contact information; discussed the differences between the Coast Guards and a typical EMS helicopters installed equipment, weather minimums, and timely scene response criteria; and talked about local traffic de-confliction communications frequencies.
This PR was the latest in a busy schedule of outreach to local fire, EMS, and police agencies in the South Carolina Low Country. MEDUCARE pilot Simon Bartlett and Coast Guard pilots Frank Minopolis and Kyle Richter.
MEDUCARE and Coast Guard pilots swap There I was ... stories in front of the Coast Guards American Eurocopter MH-65D Dolphin helicopter.
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> HEROS IN ACTION
congratUlationS cHriSPatcH - naacS 2013 commUnicationS SPecialiSt of tHe year
It is my honor and my pleasure to announce that our own Christopher Chrispatch Smith was nominated and selected as NAACS 2013 CommunicationsSpecialist of the Year! Thank you to those who provided input and had writ-ten out the application letters to go with the nomination form. Chris will officially receive his award at AMTC later this year!
Congratulations Chris and thank you for all you do for Banner, for NCMC,and for North Colorado MedEvac!
Leiton Powell, CFC, EMDEmergency Services Dispatch SupervisorNorth Colorado Med Evac
To the Members of LIFESTAR,
I am writing to you today to say THANK YOU! I know more often than not, you do not hear updates on the patients you care for so I would like to share the following message regarding one of your patients.
One year ago today you were called to the airport in Canadian to pick up a patient that had been involved in a motorcycle accident. That patient was my son-in-law. Thanks to the fast acting and skillful members of Cana-dian EMS and your quick response he was taken to NWTH in stable but serious condition. He had 10 broken ribs, a crushing injury to both lungs, 15 spinous processes were broken and he suffered a head injury. After 2 weeks in NWTH he was flown to Craig Hospital where he received amazing treatment for six weeks.
Today he is doing GREAT. He has returned to work but more important-ly is a Loving Husband and Amazing Daddy to 4 beautiful children. So again I want to say Thank You for letting God work through your hands to do the Amazing work You Do!
Diane Boyd Gruver EMS
BASE NAME COMMENTS
AeroCare 6 Referring: very friendly, helped ease the stress of patient. Receiving: Staff were Kelly Garrett & Christy Wright-Professional & Courteous. Kelly was very knowledgeable in the patients report. Patient was also pleased with the care he received in his transfer.
LIFE FORCE 1 Prehospital: Great crew just love having your flight service as an available resource. Thanks for all you guys do.
Air Reach Patient: Kim and Jojo were great
Amarillo Referring: Beverly and Michael were very professional during transfer of care. They both worked well with each other and gave a great report on the patients condition. After there transport, the patient kept talking about how impressed he was with both of them. To t
F E E D B A C K A N D P R A I S E S
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Training continued from page 2 ...
purposes of the training, represented a helicopter.
In the shade of the tent, the pair con-tinued working on Angelo until Martins computer told him that the patient was in stable condition.
Afterwards, Van Damme and Springer said the training was as real as possible to the real thing.
We can pretty much do everything on this simulator that we can on a real person, Van Damme said.
Both said the training was the most real-istic of their careers. Van Damme has been a flight paramedic for two years, Springer a flight nurse for four years.
The set up here is so amazing for us, Springer said. This is hands-on. Were not just saying what we would do in this scenario, were doing it.
After the scenario, the pair joined a group in VCOMs third-floor cadaver lab, where they practiced surgical procedures on the bodies of two men.
Med-Trans began sending its flight medics to VCOM earlier this year. The first session, in May, was meant to familiarize them with VCOMs realistic simulators.
Jim Mobley, regional director for Med-Trans Corp., said the training began after Spartanburg EMS officials linked the company with VCOM.
VCOM, in its third year in Spartanburg, has established several partnerships with
area health care providers, including Spar-tanburg EMS.
The school is establishing itself as a multi-disciplinary, regional-based training center that allows local medical personnel and medical students to train in the safest, yet most realistic way possible, officials said.
Mobley said the training was unlike any-thing the company can provide on its own, and said others could benefit from a VCOM partnership.
Some organizations have simulators or a cadaver lab, he said, but rarely are both in the same location.
The partnership is huge. We dont know of another entity like this, Mobley said. We pride ourselves on the training we do, but this will make us 1,000 percent better.
Henry Ward, program director for Medu-care Air, said some of the procedures being practiced at VCOM were relatively rare.
These are the ones you want to go your whole career and be able to say Ive never done one, he said. But you need to be familiar with them, just in case.
Mobley agreed.He said there was a low probability that
any of the medics would need to use the surgical procedures in real life. But if they do, they need to be able to do them well.
Were trying to train them for a difficult situation so its not difficult when it hap-pens, he said.By Drew Brooks, [email protected]
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> A SPECIAL THANK YOU
Dear Reid and the Spirit LifeLine Team,My colleague says she sees and hears the Spirit LifeLine helicopter flying over
her place often (she is north of Dickinson, N.D.). We were talking today about what a wonderful service the helicopter is to our community. Thank you so much for what you do and for what the crew does for Dickinson and the surrounding areas, saving lives!
Annika
5 tiPS to eaSe yoUr cHildS tranSition from SUmmer Vacation to ScHoolMaking the transition from summer va-cation to a school schedule can be a bumpy ride. Excitement fuels the first few days, but it can take some time to re-ally get into the swing of things. Starting to change your routine during the last two weeks of summer can ease the transition, especially when you use a few simple tips to prepare for the new school year.
1. Shop early for clothes and suppliesIn the days leading up to a new school
year, stores gain crowds, but rapidly run out of school supplies. Shop early to avoid the stress of out-of-stock items or picked-over designs. If you dont have a specific school supply list from your teacher yet, you can still stock up on the basics like crayons, paper, and pencils. Dont forget new backpacks, lunch boxes and a special outfit for the first day of school.
2. Set up a school routine and ease into itYour school days are likely to start
earlier than your relaxed summer vaca-tion routine. Transition into a new sleep schedule by gradually going to bed and waking up earlier. Begin to shift TV and video game time to later in the afternoons and have more quiet activities like reading and board games during the day. Its also a great time to brush up on math and other school skills with flash card games or online refreshers.
3. Plan and practice school lunchesSchool lunchtime can be a nice break
from classes, particularly when kids look forward to their packed lunches. Add some fun to school preparations by letting your kids help you test out healthy items which will pack well in their lunch boxes. If your children are shy or going to a
new school, they may be anxious about finding friends in the school cafeteria. It may help to role play ways to strike up conversations or handle potential fears.
4. Visit the schoolA trip to the school before the year offi-
cially begins can be a great way to lessen anxiety. Find out if your school offers an orientation or open house and make sure your summer vacation plans wont keep you from attending. If there is no scheduled event, you can still bring your child to the school to see the building and perhaps meet the office staff.
5. Keep the first week openThe first week of school is a busy time.
Expect your kids to bring home a stack of paperwork for you, and be prepared to spend some extra time listening to stories about their first days. Engaging your kids by asking to see their textbooks and hear about their teachers can help generate excitement and show that you are there to support them. However, children are likely to be tired and a bit overwhelmed as well. Give them some time to themselves and let them decide how much (or little) they want to talk about school until theyve had some time to adjust.
BRAGGING RIGHTS: Please send in your program news and photos, we would love to hear from you. This is your chance to
brag about anything and everything that your flight team is doing in your community. We are looking for PR Events, Crews in Action,
Training Information, Team / Crew Member Milestones
and Photos, Photos and More Photos!
Please submit your information to: [email protected].
