If you're seriously injured pretty much anywhere in Maryland, a rescue helicopter could be the key to saving your life. But a new report raises questions about the safety and performance of Maryland's fleet of Medevac helicopters.
The report by the state's Office of Legislative Audits found that overall the fleet used by the State Police Aviation Command, is safe, but there are administrative issues that auditors believe need to be addressed.
For example, for 51 days during fiscal year 2007, which was the focus of the study, fewer than eight of the command's 12 helicopters were available because of maintenance issues. And auditors reported, 'Management's ability to make informed decisions pertaining to helicopter availability and maintenance was severely hindered by the lack of reliable and extensive data systems.'
Nationwide, the safety of MedEvac choppers is being questioned. In 2004, the National Safety Council found that the death rate of EMS flight crew members was 16 times the rate for all US workers.
But the Maryland report praised what it called the aviation command's 'impeccable' safety record. It did treat one claim made by the command with skepticism. Rescue crews typically refer to the ‘Golden Hour’ -- in which they try to get a patient to a hospital within one hour after an injury.
Aviation command reports that almost 95 percent of MedEvac missions are completed within the golden hour. But auditors said they could not verify that number, because there is no standard procedure for tracking when the golden hour begins.
The aviation command has taken that advice. They'll now start the official golden hour when a helicopter station receives a dispatch request, and end it when a patient gets to a trauma center.
Lawmakers in Annapolis are deciding whether to replace any or all of the command's 12 helicopters.
