NAVAC paramedics staff the medevac helicopter ambulance, operated in conjunction with New York State Police.  The helicopter is based at Hancock Airport and services all of central New York.   The medevac call sign for the State Police helicopters is "LIFEGUARD."  The Syracuse aviation unit is "LIFEGUARD 16" with radio unit designation of "1H16".   The helicopter is a 2003 Bell 407, with the tail number, N16SP, and has a cruising speed of 150 MPH.  It is equipped with a 15 million candlepower SX-5 Starburst® searchlight, which is operated remotely from within the cockpit.  It is also equipped with Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR).  This powerful search tool incorporates a video camera and heat seeking modes for maximum coverage of a search area.  Emergency use features include inflatable floats mounted on the helicopter landing skid for use in emergency water landing and a wire strike protection kit.  The Wire Strike Kit is designed to provide a measure of protection for the helicopter in the event of inadvertent flight into horizontally strung mechanical, electrical transmission and communication wires and cables. It's also designed to reduce the possibility of flight control damage during a wire strike and decrease the possibility of wires becoming entangled in the landing gear.

 

     The aircraft is staffed by a New York State Trooper pilot and a NAVAC paramedic from 07:00-23:00 daily.  The crew responds to many different types of calls including, medevacs, rescues, searches for lost persons, and many different types of police missions.  In the medevac configuration, 1H16 is loaded from the left side and can accommodate one patient.  Safety is of utmost concern when loading a patient.  No one is allowed to approach the aircraft unless escorted by a member of the flight team.  Dangerous areas of the helicopter include the tail rotor and , on uneven terrain, the main rotor system.   The NAVAC Flight Paramedic follows Central New York protocols regardless where in  New York the medevac originates.   The Flight Paramedic cares for the patient from the right rear seat with oxygen and suction immediately available at the patient's head.  An oxygen powered ventilator is on board and can be used on an intubated patient requiring constant ventilatory support.  Supplies and medications are conveniently located in the  EMS Bag and Red Thomas Pack directly in front of the Flight Medic.  A LifePak 12 cardiac monitor/defibrillator with Saturation of Oxygen  meter (SPO2) and Non Invasive Blood Pressure (NIBP) monitor is used to regularly assess the vital signs of the patient.

 

     The pilot is in charge of determining if any mission will be flown.  The decision is made after careful consideration of current and forecasted weather conditions.  Upon arrival at the scene of a medevac, the flight paramedic will determine if the patient will be transported by air or ground method.   This decision is based on severity of injuries and whether the patient is critical and yet stable enough to withstand air transport.  Most patients are transported to SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital which is a Level One Trauma Center in Syracuse, NY.

 

     Training sessions for Fire Departments in central New York are available.  If your Fire Department would be interested in conducting a training session about helicopter orientation,  safety, landing zone preparation, and patient loading  at your fire station, please email the Aeromedical Director schedule the session by clicking on contact us.  It is recommended that neighboring fire departments coordinate with each other to conduct the training as a joint exercise in order to maximize the opportunity for fire and rescue personnel to attend.

 

Click here to view a video of 1H16.

 

This movie requires Quicktime.  Get it here.