Ascension St. Mary’s FlightCare, operated by Med-Trans, lands near Oaktree Elementary for ATFD training. Photo: Patrick McAbee.

By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Atlas Twp. — On a warm Sunday morning, the deafening drill of rotary blades drew the upward attention of firefighters as the helicopter softly touched down in the grassy field.
It’s one of those sounds emergency responders hope they never have to hear, yet one that calls for specialized training in the event of medical airlift.
“This is one of those trainings that you hope to never have to use but if you do, you better know how to handle the situation.,” said Ed Klimek, Atlas Township Fire Department.
On July 21, near the intersection of Hegel and Gale roads on the Oaktree Elementary campus, the ATFD participated in a special medical flight training program. The practice was hosted by Ascension St. Mary’s FlightCare, which is operated by Med-Trans. The unique practice was with one of six different Michigan based air ambulance services, utilizing six helicopters and two fixed winged crafts.
“There are so many safety factors involved for not only the patient but the pilots as well and the quicker we can mitigate an emergency situation the better,” said Klimek.
These services are used to rapidly transport patients either from an accident/trauma scene or from hospital to hospital.
The ATFD had the opportunity to train and set up a mock landing zone on Sunday.
Will Barnum, a flight nurse, RN at Flint-based Hurley Hospital as well as a Taymouth Fire Department volunteer, provided some of the instruction on Sunday.
“We are available 24/7,” said Barnum, who has been a Flight Nurse for more than two years. “Our job is to help people in need. I was a paramedic for eight years and worked in the emergency room so these skills are ingrained. The greatest challenge is learning the wide-scope of protocols necessary for the job. From young children to cardiac patients you need to be proficient in many facets of critical care.”
The medical flights make about 200 runs per year, he said.
“We land on roads, fields or anywhere we can sit down near the emergency,” he said.
The training focused on helicopter safety precautions and those near the craft. Also included were helicopter capacity with weight ratings, medical stability of the patient, weather and flight range. The helicopter requires a 100 square feet area for daytime landings and 150 square feet area for nighttime.
The helicopter travels statewide including the upper peninsula with occasional stops at a local airport to refuel. The pit stops may be necessary since the craft consumes about one gallon per-minute at speeds of 135 mph.