SPA.HEMS.135 HEMS medical passenger and other personnel briefing

HEMS MEDICAL PASSENGER BRIEFING The briefing should ensure that the medical passenger understands his/her role in the operation, which includes:

(a)familiarisation with the helicopter type(s) operated;

(b)entry and exit under normal and emergency conditions both for self and patients;

(c)use of the relevant on-board specialist medical equipment;

(d)the need for the commander’s approval prior to use of specialised equipment;

(e)method of supervision of other medical staff;

(f)the use of helicopter inter-communication systems;

(g)location and use of on board fire extinguishers; and

(h)the operator’s crew coordination concept including relevant elements of crew resource management.

GROUND EMERGENCY SERVICE PERSONNEL

(a)The task of training large numbers of emergency service personnel is formidable. Wherever possible, helicopter operators should afford every assistance to those persons responsible for training emergency service personnel in HEMS support. This can be achieved by various means, such as, but not limited to, the production of flyers, publication of relevant information on the operator’s web site, development of applications and provision of extracts from the operations manual.

(b)The elements that should be covered include:

(1)two-way radio communication procedures with helicopters;

(2)the selection of suitable HEMS operating sites for HEMS flights;

(3)the physical danger areas of helicopters;

(4)crowd control in respect of helicopter operations; and

(5)the evacuation of helicopter occupants following an on-site helicopter accident.

GROUND EMERGENCY SERVICE PERSONNEL

(a)When covering the items in AMC1 SPA.HEMS.135(b), the following could be described:

(1)Definitions: List applicable definitions and abbreviations.

(2)Helicopter(s):

(i)A basic description of the type(s) of helicopter(s) in use and layout(s) such as doors for loading and offloading with text(s), figure(s) or photo(s); and

(ii)Describe hazardous areas with figure(s) or photo(s), emphasise dangers with respect to rotors and sloping terrain and carrying of patient(s) or item(s) under the rotor disc.

(3)Types, and selection, of HEMS operating sites as applicable to the operation:

(i)Describe different types of HEMS operating sites (for example, roads, mountains, gardens, fields, mountain ledges, steep terrain, football fields, school yards, presurveyed sites, aerodromes);

(ii)Describe different types of advantages and disadvantages, hazards (for example, weather and light conditions, the use of flashlights/searchlights, surface, dust, snow, fixed and loose obstacles, wires, downwash, open fires/fireplaces, traffic and bystanders), limitations and procedures associated with the different types of HEMS operating sites;

(iii)Describe challenges related to weather (temperature, wind, fog, low clouds, rain, snow) and light (night/non-NVIS/NVIS) conditions;

(iv)Describe HEMS operating site dimension(s) for the different type(s) of helicopter(s) with text(s), figure(s) or photo(s);

(v)Describe how to illuminate the HEMS operating site from the ground;

(vi)Describe light on skid/wheel;

(vii)Describe HHO or HEC with cargo sling;

(viii)Describe ground to helicopter signals;

(ix)Describe special hazards related to fire or chemical, biological, or radiological accidents and the importance of selecting a safe HEMS operating site(s) for the protection of both ground emergency services personnel and crew; and

(x)Describe communication between the ground emergency services personnel and helicopter during landing (radio communications or hand signals).

(b)The operator could make available a short checklist, covering, for example, the following items:

(1)Establish communication;

(2)Select operating site;

(3)Secure the operating site (public/bystanders/crowd control/obstacles/loose objects); and

(4)Communicate with the helicopter the position of/how to identify the operating site, weather, and hazards.

(c)It is advantageous if operators in the same operating area collaborate when developing checklists and when describing items covered in AMC1 SPA.HEMS.135(b).