SPA.VEMS.135 Briefing of medical passengers and of other personnel

BRIEFING OF VEMS MEDICAL PASSENGER The briefing should ensure that the medical passenger understands their role in the operation, which includes:

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

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

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

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

(e)the method of supervision of other medical staff;

(f)the use of VCA intercommunication systems;

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

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

GROUND EMERGENCY SERVICE PERSONNEL

(a)The VCA operator should provide assistance as regards training of ground emergency service personnel who are tasked with VEMS support. This can be achieved by various means, such as but not limited to the production of flyers, the publication of relevant information on the operator’s website, the development of applications, and the provision of extracts from the operator’s operations manual.

(b)The elements that should be covered include:

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

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

(3)the physical danger areas of VCA;

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

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

GROUND EMERGENCY SERVICE PERSONNEL

(a)When applying AMC2 SPA.VEMS.135, the VEMS operator may describe the following items:

(1)Definitions: List of applicable definitions and abbreviations

(2)VCA

(i)Type(s) of VCA in use and layout(s), such as doors for onloading and offloading with text(s), figure(s) or photo(s); and

(ii)Hazardous areas with figure(s) or photo(s), with emphasis on the risk posed by turning rotors or turning propellers or other rotating parts, as well as from sloping terrain.

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

(i)Various types of VEMS operating sites; for example, roads, mountains, gardens, fields, mountain ledges, steep terrain, football fields, school yards, pre-surveyed sites.

(ii)Advantages and disadvantages, hazards (for example, weather and light conditions, the use of flashlights/searchlights, surface, dust, snow, fixed and loose obstacles, wires, downwash (outwash), open fires/fireplaces, traffic and bystanders), limitations and procedures associated with the various types of VEMS operating sites.

(iii)Challenges related to weather (temperature, wind, fog, low clouds, rain, snow) and light conditions.

(iv)VEMS operating site dimension(s) for the different type(s) of VCA with text(s), figure(s) or photo(s).

(v)How to illuminate the VEMS operating site from the ground.

(vi)Light on skid/wheel.

(vii)Signals from the ground to the VCA.

(viii)Special hazards related to fire or chemical, biological, or radiological accidents and the importance of selecting a safe VEMS operating site(s) for the protection of both ground emergency services personnel and crew.

(ix)Communication between the ground emergency services personnel and VCA during landing (radio communication or hand signals).

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

(1)establish communication;

(2)select operating site;

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

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

(c)Operators in the same operating area should collaborate when developing checklists and when describing the items covered in AMC2 SPA.VEMS.135.