Candidate Handbook

Helicopter Emergency Plan

#1 The first thing the IC (Incident Commander) does is, decide whether the patient needs to be transported by helicopter.

• Make sure you have a back up plan.
  1. Make sure an ambulance is also coming.
  2. Choose a second landing zone.

This section is for the ticket office personnel or who ever calls in the resue airship.

#2 Call 911 and tell them you need a helicopter, and a regular ambulance.

• They will want to know what you have.
  1. What is wrong with your patient?
• What frequency you want to use and the code name (color).
  1. Primary frequency is White (154.280 Kilohertz)
  2. Secondary Frequency is Red (154.325 Kilohertz)
• What L.Z. (Landing Zone) you want to use.
  1. LZ-1 Notch by patrol hut.
  2. LZ-2 Ski lift parking lot.
  3. LZ-3 Mt. Baldy road below Hogan.
  4. LZ-4 Ice House Canyon.
  5. LZ-5 Cow Canyon Saddle.
• Identify the code name of the IC (Ski Lift IC).
  1. A basic report to the dispatcher is we need a helicopter . We have a patient with a fractured femur and low blood pressure. We would like to use LZ-1 at the Baldy lifts by the Notch. We are requesting to use white frequency 154.280. The IC will be (ski lifts IC).
• Take into account that the primary unit dispatched to the accident is a S.B. County helicopter. S.B. County Sheriff's have 4 helicopters available.
  1. If S.B. County dispatches a big helicopter a small helicopter may come in first, (depending on the size of the LZ), and take the patient to a larger LZ for the big helicopter to transport and treat.
  2. S.B. County also has a helicopter with a winch. (To maybe pull people out - of south bowl.) This needs to be requested!
• The secondary units that come in are from Mercy Air.
  1. Take into account that pilots have orders to only land at LZ-2, but they usually will land at LZ-1 when they get here and see the situation.

#3 The next step is to determine who the landing zone commander is going to be.

• The LZ commander could be the same as the IC if the LZ is at LZ-1.
• The LZ commander would have to be someone else other than the IC. (If the accident was in South Bowl, there is no way the IC could get down to South Bowl and talk to the 911 dispatcher or be able to react if the pilot changes the LZ).

#4. Next you have to make sure that the LZ commander has a radio to communicate with the pilot of the helicopter.

• If the LZ changes we might need another radio or get that one to the new LZ.

#5. The next thing we need to do is get the LZ ready for the pilot. (Example LZ-1).

• Think about unloading and then stopping chair #2 so people that come off the top won't interfere with the landing of the helicopter, and when the helicopter is coming in holding the people back, use 2 people at the top of chair #2 if possible.
• The next step is to hand out the Bumble Bee Bibs, #"s 1-4, for the landing zone crew. They are located in the desk in the left drawer with the smoke bombs.
• Next to clear out the landing zone.
  1. A circle with a diameter of 300 feet.
  2. 1 Person at every side of the landing zone, and the LZ commander.
• Make sure there is nothing in the landing zone, the pilots don't like any distractions.
• Make sure only the LZ commander is in the LZ. Nobody else for any reason.
• Make sure the smoke bombs are out and ready to be ignited. (The smoke bombs last 45 sec and are located in the desk in the left drawer.)

#6 The next thing we need to do is communicate with the pilot when the pilot gets to the top. This will be the job of the LZ Commander. Things we need to tell him are:

• Most important is, where you are asking him to land, not just the # of the LZ, but the exact location. (Exact locations are given according to the helicopters heading, straight ahead is to the pilot's 12 o'clock, and 3 o'clock is to the pilot's right and the LZ Commander's left).
• The patients updated status.
• Wind speed (30 mph you have the lean into the wind).
• Wind direction (with your back into the wind).
• Condition of the snow (icy, soft, powdery).
• Describe degrees from flat (5 degrees from flat at LZ-1, they can not tell from up there).
• Wind condition (gusty, constant).

#7. How to land the helicopter.

• With the wind at your back.
• Arms straight in front of you bending at the elbow and moving backwards.
• When he is in the correct position put your arms off to the side and crouch down.
• When the pilot gets close to you get out of the way.
• When the pilot lands don't come into the helicopter until the pilot gives you a thumbs up.
• When you move in, go in straight in front of him.
• Then work as the safety officer and don't let anybody go into the tail rotor.

#8 Then fill out one of the small blue transportation forms and file it with the patients records.

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