LifeFlight of Maine - Non-injury incident

Date: 2/12/08 0752 EST

Program: LifeFlight of Maine
	P.O. Box 940
	Bangor, ME 04401

Type: AGUSTA 109E Power
Tail #: N901EM
Operator/Vendor: EraMed

Weather: Day VFR conditions with clear skies and extreme cold. Icy roadway.

Team: Pilot, Flight Nurse, Flight Paramedic. No injuries reported. No patient. 

Description: 
	While responding to a flight request for a single patient injured in a
	motor vehicle crash on Route 1A in Holden, Maine, the safety of
	LifeFlight of Maine?s LF1 aircraft and crew was compromised by a
	driver who willfully disregarded barricades guarding the scene. The
	roadway, which was extremely icy, had been blockaded from both
	directions by local fire and police vehicles, with fire personnel
	maintaining watch.
	
	As LF1 approached and performed an aerial survey, they received a
	radio report from the LZ Incident Commander. With the LZ security
	assured, LF1?s pilot landed the aircraft on the roadway. Normally, the
	pilot would have shut down the aircraft, but due to the extremely cold
	conditions, short return flight, and unknown patient weight, it was
	decided to keep the aircraft running. 
	
	The medical crewmembers exited the aircraft, per SOP, from the 3 and
	9 o?clock positions. While preparing to walk toward the scene where
	patient extrication was in still in progress, the flight paramedic
	(FP) turned to confirm LZ safety with the flight RN (FRN) and pilot. 
	At that time, the FP noticed that a private vehicle had compromised LZ
	security by traveling around the FD vehicle barricade, coming along
	the port side of the running helicopter, just at the edge of the rotor
	disc. 
	
	The vehicle traveled approximately 10 feet past the front of the
	aircraft rotor disc and came to a halt when the FP extended a hand and
	motioned for the vehicle to stop. The driver exited the vehicle,
	identified herself as a physician, and asked to be informed as to what
	was going on at the scene. The FP instructed the physician to get back
	into her vehicle and to stay exactly where she was. At the same time
	FRN signaled the pilot of dangerous situation by pointing to the port
	side of ship and indicated that it was safe to lift. The pilot lifted
	the aircraft back into the air and circled the scene from above until
	the LZ could be re-secured.
	
	A firefighter escorted the physician to a nearby parking lot where a
	police officer was summoned. The physician was then educated regarding
	the possibly deadly consequences of her actions by the local PD and FD
	personnel. 
	
	Meanwhile, the LF1 med crew initiated care of the patient who was
	still being extricated. Once freed, the patient was transported
	without further problem.
	
	
	

Additional Info: 
	This incident was extensively debriefed with the PD and FD ground
	personnel at the scene, as well as internally at LifeFlight. The FD
	has initiated further LZ protection procedures to completely block
	roadways. For failing to obey a public safety officer, a summons for
	the physician is pending.

Source: Tom Judge, Executive Director

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information with your program staff. If you have further questions, please
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