If you spend any time at all on Harbour Island, Davis Islands or along Bayshore Boulevard near downtown, you will see a helicopter either taking straight off from the landing pad on the waterfront at Tampa General Hospital, or one coming in over the water to a careful landing. A patient in need of critical emergency care is always at stake. Tampa General is the area’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and one of just four burn centers in Florida. The Air Methods Corporation that operates this helo is the largest provider of air medical emergency transport services and systems in the US. They claim to transport almost 100,000 each year who all require intensive medical treatment from from either an accident scene or or general care hospitals to one such as Tampa general which provides highly skilled trauma care. Air Methods operates 300 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft at 249 bases in 42 states. Wow. They are quite a company and one which provide life-saving services. Literally.
8 comments:
I've never ridden in a chopper, but if my life depended on it I'd want these guys involved.
A great service, but of course being from the UK the thing that struck me was that it was a private company running the ambulance service. But let's not get into a healthcare debate! ;-)
Great shot of a life-saving service.
Learn something every day.
It looks like it is going to land right on top of you Frank!
The people involved in this work deserve all the plaudits...it's so critical and often not easy!
Beautiful photo, Frank!
It is a dangerous line of work these guys do, but I'll bet that the gratification that provides is awesome, the feeling of saving a life in a difficult place.
Thank you for the article, really useful data.
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