Pennsylvania Copter Call Questioned

Questions surrounding how emergency medical helicopters were summoned to a recent traffic accident in Westmoreland County could lead to new dispatching policies throughout Western Pennsylvania.

An investigation is under way to learn if the closest available medical helicopter was dispatched to a head-on collision involving a car and SUV on Route 366 in New Kensington on Dec. 21.

Two people were flown to Pittsburgh hospitals in separate helicopters after they were cut from the car, police said.

According to officials, a StatMedEvac helicopter based in the Kittanning area was on its way to the accident when it was canceled. Instead, a LifeFlight helicopter was dispatched from Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side.

A short time later, just as the StatMedEvac helicopter was preparing to land at its base, it was again summoned because LifeFlight didn't have two aircraft available at the time, StatMedEvac's John Chamberlin said.

StatMedEvac is allied with UPMC Health Systems and LifeFlight is allied with the West Penn-Allegheny Health System. Spokespeople for the health systems did not return calls Friday.

The helicopter services frequently cooperate on emergency calls and are not restricted in regard to which hospitals they can transport patients.

"It doesn't appear that the ambulance crew followed statewide protocol," said Tom McElree, executive director of the Emergency Medical Services Institute in Pittsburgh. "They deviated from protocol, but there may be a perfectly reasonable and rational explanation."

The institute is designated by the state Department of Health to supervise emergency medical services within 10 counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland.

New Kensington Ambulance manager Donna Goodwin said she wasn't aware of an investigation.

Medical helicopters were not needed immediately on Dec. 21 because the "most appropriate" landing site was nearby Valley High School. The parking lot still had cars in it as students were leaving for the day, Goodwin said.

It also took time to cut away wreckage to free a 4-year-old boy from the car and more time to remove his father because his legs were pinned, said New Kensington Fire Chief Ed Saliba.

"No patients were jeopardized nor transport delayed," Goodwin said.

LifeFlight spokesman Dan Laurent said the people on the ground make the decision about which helicopter service to call.

"We won't comment on that decision," he said.

McElree said state protocol calls for the closest available helicopter to be requested by dispatchers, but Westmoreland County public safety spokesman Dan Stevens said the practice varies in the county.

Some ambulance companies ask for a particular helicopter service.

Others simply ask that a helicopter be dispatched, said Stevens, leaving the decision on which service to call up to county 911 dispatchers.

This week, Westmoreland County public safety officials adopted an interim protocol that requires county 911 dispatchers to send the closest of three helicopter services and to notify another helicopter service if it has been specifically requested by an ambulance, fire or rescue crew or patient.

Officials said they hope that system can be copied by other counties throughout the region

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