Portsmouth FD Hosts Air Medical Training Event

Island towns like Portsmouth need to be well-versed in how to best take advantage of air medical services.

Most areas in Portsmouth are within a half-hour of a trauma, stroke or cardiac care center, so most injured or ill patients are best transported on the ground.

But major car crashes happen all too often in Portsmouth, and victims often need to be extricated in operations that can take upwards of an hour in some cases.

That’s when using a helicopter can be a better option, said Portsmouth Fire Department Dep. Chief Michael P. O’Brien.

During an extrication, “a helicopter can respond to a nearby landing zone, staged to provide immediate care to the victim. The helicopter can then transport the patient to a trauma center in a matter of a few minutes,” O’Brien said.

With 16 landing zones in Portsmouth and Prudence Island, first responders need to not only know when to call for a med flight, but how to use them safely and effectively.

On Wednesday, the Portsmouth Fire Department hosted a training event at Roger Williams University’s Baypoint Residence Hall to do just that.

An air medical program was delivered for free by Boston Med Flight. More than 40 EMTs, firefighters and police officers from around the region gathered to learn from Instructor Flight Paramedic Robert Holst, who explained when to use air medical services, how to establish and secure a landing zone and other safety considerations when operating around helicopters.

Boston Med Flight, with helicopters as close as Plymouth, Mass. has the town’s 16 strategically-placed landing zones on file.

“We only need to relay the patient information and the landing zone number; Boston Med Flight will know exactly where to respond,“ O’Brien said.

There are two other providers of medical air transport in southern New England: UMASS Life Flight from Worcester and Life Star from Hartford. The three agencies are non-profits and do not compete against each other for service. When the closest agency is not available, they will coordinate the response of the next closest helicopter for the local department.

The Portsmouth Fire Department thanked Boston Med Flight who provided more than 6 employees and a helicopter, which flew in from Lawrence, Mass., for the event.

“ We would especially like to thank Mary Arredondo, who is the Education Coordinator for Boston Med Flight,” O’Brien said.

Roger Williams University provided the venue for the training without charge and allowed the medical helicopter to land on their property.