Med Evac Landing Zone Training at EOSC
(Press Release 3-26-04)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

While it may not seem too important unless you or a relative is being loaded “for extraction” from an emergency scene, those on the scene in charge must have accurate and exact procedural information Eastern Criminal Justice Instructor Blaine Villines and his students were told.

“If you are on the LZ (Landing Zone) waiving your arms over your head, that’s not what we want to see to land the helicopter,” Air Evac Lifeteam pilot Todd Tiesenga from McAlester Regional Health Center life flight team told the students.

“That is actually a waive-off signal telling us the LZ is unsafe. What we are looking for is one individual standing with arms straight up, with a flash light in each hand at night, standing in a clear area about 100 ft. square on the up wind side,” he said.

The Wilburton college Traffic Services class was receiving landing zone preparation training they will need when they begin work following graduation according to Villines.

“These folks were great,” Villines said. “They brought the helicopter over from McAlester to the college and gave our kids about two hours of instruction on the helicopter and safety around it, landing zone preparation, loading the patient and answered every question fired at them by the students.

“We just couldn’t have been happier with the training they gave and their willingness to help our students,” he said.

“They were friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable.”

The flight crew and helicopter arrived on campus about 11:45 am Wednesday (March 24) and, after aircraft shut-down, Tiesenga began explaining the team’s LZ needs followed by safety and loading instruction by EMT (emergency medical technician) Flight Paramedic Mark Lewis and EMT/RN Lisa Lewis.

They told the students “above all else, do not approach the helicopter after landing until the crew departs the aircraft and lets all know it is safe to approach.

“Neither the main nor tail rotor is anything to tangle with,” the pilot said. “Either could spoil your whole day.”

Villines said this was only part of the hands-on training his students receive in the class.

“In a couple of weeks, the students will have to qualify with the hand gun. We will spend and entire week dealing with weapons, what they are and when and where their use is appropriate.”

CUTLINE:

McAlester Air Evac Lifeteam members, in the red flight suits on the right, explained helicopter landing zone preparation and control for emergency patient evacuation at the scene to Eastern Oklahoma State College students in the Traffic Service class taught by Instructor Blaine Villines. Lifeteam members included pilot Todd Tiesenga, EMT Flight Paramedic Mark Lewis and RN/EMT Lisa Lewis who volunteered their time and helicopter for the class.