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The Medevac Mission Mix

Law Enforcement and Medevac Assignments

Posted: Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Updated: January 12th, 2009 09:01 PM EDT

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KENNETH J. SOLOSKY
Aviation Operations Contributor

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Airborne Law Enforcement Association

Lt. Kenneth J. Solosky retired after 21 years of service with the New York City Police Department and had been assigned to the Warrant Division and as a police academy instructor, serving in the ranks and assignments as a. patrol officer, patrol sergeant, lieutenant, and patrol platoon commander, He retired as the Chief Pilot/Director of Training in the NYPD Aviation Unit. Ken recently was appointed the Chief Pilot for the Newark, NJ Police Aviation Unit. Ken has a BA degree in Public Administration from St. John's University and is pursuing his MA degree in Criminal Justice from the City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He holds FAA Airline Transport Pilot ratings in both airplanes and helicopters, is a certified flight instructor and a member of the Airborne Law Enforcement Association (ALEA). He can be reached via e-mail at kenav8tor@officer.com.

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Comments

Posted by Allan

(01/13/09 - 05:33 PM)

comment on article

1) the "golden hour" does not exist. patients are actually NOT statistically more likley to survive severe trauma if they arrive at a trauma center within an hour. This myth is based on practices that originated in the 1970's. More recently, it has been proven untrue in several major studies. That may be suprising by scientifically and medically, it is true.

2) "politics and media misinformation" is not the only reason why MSP has come under fire. Many of their practices have come under very legitimate and overdue scrutiny.

3) One of MSP's biggest problems is over-triage. They routinely fly patients with very minor injuries who could easily be transported by ground ambulances. I would guesstimate this makes up 50% or more of their total number of medevacs in a given year.

4) the rescue and law-enforcement component of MSP's aviation operation is excellent. The medevac component is behind the times and is an unnecessary expense to the taxpayers.

Posted by JB in Baltimore, Maryland

(01/13/09 - 08:07 PM)

The Medevac Mission Mix

Thank you for telling it how it is. My response to comment 1, is this, If the golden hour does not exist than why is it that battlefield mortatlity rates dramatically decreased when helicopters began medevac operations during the Korean War? As for comment 2, I would love to here facts to support the need for scrutiny. I personally have been touched by MSP's medevac operation, which helped to save a family member, and comforted by the fact that their mission is public service, and not how much the insurance company will pay for the medevac to a trauma center.

Posted by Ex-Copper in CA in Merced,CA

(01/21/09 - 12:50 PM)

Medevac Mission

I work for a hospital on the West Coast, the air ambulance service was contracted out several years ago. The first thing was the pay was slashed to about half prompting the most experienced air crew members to leave (Pilots, Nurses and Paramedics). Those that remained were not as experienced. If this isn't profit driven, I don't know what else to call it.

I know that to remain in service you have to be profitable but isn't that why your crews are paid, for their collective experience and training??!!

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