Department of Helicopter Transport

History

The University of Mississippi Medical Center's helicopter flight program began operations in 1996 with a single helicopter based in Jackson. The Jackson-based AirCare 1 helicopter was joined by the Meridian-based AirCare 2 helicopter in spring 2009, the Golden Triangle-based AirCare 3 in spring 2016, and the Greenwood-based AirCare4 in fall 2017.

The additional helicopters allowed AirCare to expand its mission profile by transporting patients to not only UMMC, but other hospitals able to provide levels of care required by the patient's illness or injury.

Scene response profile has also changed, allowing the transportation of multiple patients from a single location. Since the program's inception, AirCare teams have safely transported over 18,000 adults, pediatric and neonatal patients over 2 million miles without any FAA-reportable accidents.

Aircraft

UMMC's aircraft are assets of the state and are operated under single-pilot Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), meaning the pilot may be able to complete flight requests during some marginal weather conditions. All UMMC aircraft have autopilot systems, color weather radar and anti-collision instruments to increase patient and flight crew safety. Heating and air-conditioning systems are present on all UMMC aircraft. Night vision goggles, used for all night operations, allow the crew to see potential obstacles in the dark more easily. 

AirCare utilizes Med-Trans Corporation, a Part 135 approved air carrier, operating under FAA certificate #M3XA227H to operate its rotor-wing aircraft. Med-Trans maintains operational control of the aircraft at all times.

Flight team

Medical flight crews consist of highly trained critical care nurses and paramedics. The UMMC neonatal transport team is the only neonatal flight team in Mississippi and works in close cooperation with the medical flight crew to quickly transport the smallest, ill babies to the only Level 4 neonatal intensive care unit in the state. The relationship allows AirCare the opportunity to help anyone - adult, pediatric and neonate - access specialized care.

All UMMC flight nurses hold a minimum of one national certification such as Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN), Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN), or Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN.)

All UMMC flight paramedics are nationally registered; and many hold distinctions in areas such as Flight Paramedic-Certificate (FP-C) and Mississippi Critical Care Paramedics (MS-CCP) licensure in addition to other required certifications. All members are actively involved in prehospital, hospital and regional staff education.

Mississippi Critical Care Paramedic

Mississippi Critical Care Paramedic (MS-CCP) is a new level of care being offered by paramedics who fly with the UMMC's AirCare Flight Team. In order to start MS-CPP training an applicant must have a minimum of 3 years experience as a Paramedic, have PHTLS or ITLS, ACLS, PALS and BLS.

The MS-CCP Course is a year-long intensive didactic program which includes training in chest tubes, arterial lines, advanced pharmacology and ventilator management. A licensed MS-CCP can perform potentially life-saving procedures that nurses or paramedics cannot like administering certain medications and placing chest tubes.

Graduates of the MS-CCP Course must obtain: 

• A minimum of an Associates' Degree
• Certification by the Mississippi Department of Health's Bureau of Emergency Medical Services
• Flight Paramedic Certification (FP-C) or Critical Care Paramedic Certification (CCP-C) through testing with the Board for Critical Care Transport Paramedic Certification (BCCTPC)

AirCare's medical flight teams operate throughout the state and is the only program that transports adults, children and infants.  It is also the only program utilizing inline nitric oxide, isolettes for premature and ill infants. AirCare carries blood products, places arterial lines, chest tubes and uses ultrasound for pre-hospital FAST exams. This new level of care adds to the services that are uniquely offered by AirCare. As of May 2017, the overwhelming majority of MS-CCP's that are practicing at this advanced level are employed by UMMC's Mississippi Center for Emergency Services, and the majority of those are flying with AirCare.

Equipment and medications

All UMMC aircraft have two units of O-negative blood and fresh plasma on board. Additional medical capabilities include the insertion and maintenance of arterial lines, central lines and chest tubes. Capnography monitoring is routine in all intubated patients. In-flight ultrasound exams and vascular access are used in flight for FAST exam's (Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma). Portable blood analyzers (iSTAT) are utilized for point-of-care testing. And aircrafts are equipped with NIPPV airway management capabilities (BiPAP, CPAP, HFNC).

Resources

For Dispatch or to request AirCare call 601-984-4367

Coordination of flight requests and aircraft communications are available thru Mississippi MED-COM located on the campus of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. MED-COM is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with experienced paramedics and emergency medical technicians.

The AirCare transport program is accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS).