[CCM-L] med copters collide

[Stephen Richey]

Today has been a bad day for aircraft crashes.  This brings the total to 20
dead in about 24 hours by my count (the six in Arizona, four in Nevada, five
in New Mexico, 4 in Alabama and one in Alaska).  I can't recall the last
time we had this high of a loss of life from crashes in one day, outside of
the Comair 5191 debacle.

My thoughts go out to those affected by all of these tragedies.

On Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 11:53 PM, Errington Thompson <
errington at erringtonthompson.com> wrote:

>  Ken has been talking about this for years.  We have too many copters
> flying for non-emergencies.  This is a very bad tragedy.
>
>
>
> From CNN:
>
>
>
> *(CNN)* -- At least six people were dead and one critically injured Sunday
> after a midair crash between two medical helicopters near a hospital in
> Arizona, authorities said.
>
> The collision, at Flagstaff Medical Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, set fire
> to a 10-acre area, according to fire officials, and another two rescue
> workers were injured by a secondary explosion after the crash.
>
> The helicopters collided at roughly 3:45 p.m. local time, according to the
> Federal Aviation Administration.
>
> "As you can imagine, we've got lots of heaps of metal to go through," said
> Capt. Mark Johnson of the Flagstaff Fire Department. "It's just difficult
> right now."
>
> He said a landing pad on the roof of the hospital is used by medical
> helicopters.
>
> Federal Aviation Authority officials originally had reported at least seven
> deaths and three critical injuries, but they revised those numbers after
> investigators spent more time on the scene.
>
> Flagstaff Police Department Sgt. Tom Boughner said the two rescue workers
> were not immediately believed to be seriously injured. He said the
> helicopters crashed into a wooded area near a neighborhood and that no one
> on the ground was believed to have been injured or killed in the crash.
>
> He said the fire had been contained by Sunday evening.
>
> FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said at least one of those killed in the collision
> was a patient.
>
> He said three of those killed, including the patient, were aboard a Bell
> 407 helicopter operated by Air Methods Corporation, an air medical service
> provider. The other helicopter, operated by Classic Helicopter Service of
> Utah, also was a Bell 407. The other four victims, including the one
> critically injured, were on that helicopter.
>
> Both helicopters were headed to the hospital at the time of the crash,
> Gregor said.
>
> FAA safety inspectors from Phoenix, Arizona, were en route to the scene
> Sunday, and additional inspectors from Washington were expected to arrive
> Monday morning. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead a probe
> into the crash, Gregor said.
>
>
>
>
>
> Errington C. Thompson, MD, FACS, FCCM
>
> Trauma/Surgical Critical Care
>
> Author - Letter to America <http://www.whereistheoutrage.net>
>
> Asheville, NC
>   ------------------------------
>
> *From:* ccm-l-bounces at lists.ccm-l.org [mailto:
> ccm-l-bounces at lists.ccm-l.org] *On Behalf Of *KMATTOX at aol.com
> *Sent:* Sunday, June 29, 2008 11:20 PM
> *To:* trauma-list at trauma.org
> *Cc:* SURGINET at listserv.utoronto.ca; ccm-l at ccm-l.org
> *Subject:* [CCM-L] Monocled Cobra bite
>
>
>
> For the endemic and usual kinds of poisonous snake bites in the United
> States I have always proposed to be very sparingly in using antivenin.
> Today we received a patient arriving less than 40 minutes after being bitten
> on the finger by a monocled cobra.    He breeds and raises these snakes and
> his business is known to the authorities and the game warden near his
> house.
>
>
>
> Shortly after arrival his respiration just stopped and he was intubated.
> He was sedated as if he had been given a muscle relaxant.   His BP,clotting
> studies were basically normal.   His TEG was normal.     He required no
> pressors.    He had basically NO swelling or discoloration at the site of
> the bite as we usually see in US poisonous snakes.     We called around the
> country and the consensus was that he should receive specific antivenin.
> The closest antivenin was 1/4 the way across Texas (None in Houston or
> Galveston), so it was flown here and he has received 6 vials of Naja
> specific antivenin.    He is in the ICU and being supported with the usual
> ICU care.
>
>
>
>
>
> The reason I am posting this is for several reasons:
>
>
>
> 1.    Cobra bites are RARE in the United States
>
> 2.    I find that cobra breeders and sellers are fairly common in the
> United States
>
> 3.    I found that the NEUROLOGIC paralysis was rapid and sure, and the
> hematological and coagulopathies effects of the antivenin were not seen.
>
> 4.    Several of you on this web site have seen cobra bites.
>
>
>
> I am seeking wisdom and advice as well as long range outcomes
> and effects.      I feel certain that we will receive a large variety of
> opinion and advice.   We will receive and welcome any and all and will weigh
> all advice against his clinical course.
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
>
>   ------------------------------
>
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> .
>
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>


-- 
Stephen L. Richey, CRT
Aviation Injury Research Project Leader
Saginaw Valley State University
Phone: 248-366-4452