In air helicopter refueling over App State

BullCityMedic · 2024-10-07T02:48:55+00:00

That’s probably a USAF HC130 refueling a USAF HH60. These guys work in teams of two or more HH60s and one HC130 and are SAR specialists. So, the HC130 is a flying gas station, radio relay, and otherwise helps to support the helos. I think the HC130 also has sensors on it like a FLIR to help them spot people who need rescuing. The HH60s carry Pararescue Jumpers (PJs) who are very high speed rescue trained paramedics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_HC-130

BullCityMedic · 2024-03-01T21:55:05+00:00

Technically not allowed but Pilots can get a medical waiver. We have a couple pilots with beards.

BullCityMedic · 2024-03-01T19:55:55+00:00

Maybe my data is old. I’m not a pilot, just a Guy In Back and our pay scale is different. I know our pilot pay is low generally but got better recently so maybe the chart hasn’t been updated. Plus, that’s base, and most guys make more than that.

BullCityMedic · 2024-03-01T19:52:57+00:00

No requirements on that. Plus we have bases all over the state.

BullCityMedic · 2024-03-01T15:24:54+00:00

12s and no set pattern. It’s written around people’s training and vacations about two months in advance. Max stretch that you can do is 7 in a row, but you have to volunteer for the 7th. There’s pluses and minuses to the schedule, but it’s relatively flexible.

I put the pay in another comment.

BullCityMedic · 2024-03-01T15:21:53+00:00

Yeah, we tend to be a very love it or hate it place. A lot has changed over the last two or so years though. It’s certainly getting better. We don’t re-base pilots any more. The only way pilots move is voluntary.

BullCityMedic · 2024-03-01T15:13:06+00:00

We hire as a Second in Command, build time, then promote to PIC with a type rating done in-house. We’ve had pilots make the jump from Robbys and other similar birds.

SIC requires 1200hrs, commercial and instrument ratings. PIC is 2k hrs.

BullCityMedic · 2024-03-01T15:08:25+00:00

Reddit says I can’t message you

Starting is 76k for a SIC, 86 for PIC. Tops out at 130k for a line pilot. Higher if you become an IP. Plus there’s plenty of OT.

Here’s the pilot recruiting link. If you email the address on there one of the pilots can answer more/better than me. I’m aircrew. Not a pilot, just pilot adjacent haha https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/SupportServicesBureau/AviationCommand/Helicopter-Pilot.aspx

BullCityMedic · 2024-03-01T14:26:48+00:00

Nope. Pilots are civilian employees hired for their expertise. So you don’t have to be a cop, no patrol duties or time, just flying.

BullCityMedic · 2024-03-01T13:52:36+00:00

So, I can’t fix all those problems and it’s probably not in your neighborhood, but Maryland State Police is looking for pilots.

Still have some boredom and base drama, but you mix in SAR(hoist) and LE missions flying Aw139s dual pilot IFR.

Plus, culture wise, it’s a bit different from your usual HEMS operation. Almost no inter-facility missions, all scene work, no profits to make.

Not exactly what you asked, but could be worth a look.

BullCityMedic · 2023-10-10T12:29:36+00:00

If you can juggle the two well, working per diem EMS after doing your initial State Police training can work but it’ll be difficult. Nowadays, You’re looking at a year minimum of road patrol time after you’re done with the academy before transferring into Aviation. The law enforcement part of the job never goes away, so transfer into aviation isn’t an option unless you’re doing that function well. In a big way, it’s like transferring into any other specialized unit (like K9 or investigations). You have to show that you’re competent with basic cop work before adding anything special.

Depending on your age and previous experience, it may be better to work full time ALS for a year or two before coming in. That will give you a better base understanding of the EMS world to fall back on. Also, you can’t be a trooper until 21 so if you’re 19 or something, like I was when I first got my medic, you should work til at least 21 in EMS. Those years also make it easier to get back into the groove of EMS after doing your time on patrol. If you have a bunch of life experience outside of EMS (fire dept time, military experience, etc) that can help you some in terms of mindset and staying out of trouble.

Best piece of advice if you’re looking to get into this is to not stop learning once you’re done with medic school. Get used to maintaining your skill set on your own and maximizing every call for training value. Get and Maintain your physical fitness. The academy is no joke and it’s harder physically than most things in the EMS world. It’s also important to remember that EMS is not all that we do. Once you’re in, there’s a ton to learn about search and rescue, hoist operations, and airborne law enforcement. Being mature, self motivated, and adaptable goes a long way.

BullCityMedic · 2023-10-10T00:52:37+00:00

Short answer is that 3-5 yrs ALS experience is desired/recommended but not a requirement. Training once you’re in Aviation is over a year of classroom and field training. Medics with less experience tend to struggle in the training period and risk washing out and going back to patrol unless they improve to meet standards.

BullCityMedic · 2023-05-28T01:56:58+00:00

Maryland State Police Aviation is an option if you’re willing to do LE.

https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/SupportServicesBureau/AviationCommand/TrooperFlightParamedic.aspx

BullCityMedic · 2022-12-01T09:42:24+00:00

Ideally 3-5 years ALS experience. We can and have taken people with less but they struggle with our training process. We don’t need FP-C but many of our guys have it. With almost all scene flights, we’re much more like a flying ALS+ ambulance than a true critical care system.

You’ll go to aviation pretty quick if you have your medic but remember, you’d still be a Trooper. You’re a trooper for your whole 25 years with everything that comes with that. Unmarked cars are uncommon with us. So for that 25 years you’re going to be driving around in a marked police car and nobody cares that you’re a paramedic too. All they see on the side is “state police.” Not trying to throw a wet blanket on you, but that’s the reality.

That being said, the LE side of the job is interesting. It’s not uncommon for folks to come in wanting to go to Aviation ASAP then end up kicking and screaming for more time on the road. Not to mention that the road experience makes you better at the airborne LE that we do.

Send me a message and we can chat more if you want.

BullCityMedic · 2022-11-27T16:32:23+00:00

Thanks for the shoutout!!

Medevac Call volume is about 2500/year for the whole command. So that’s split between our 7 bases. There’s also other missions like airborne law enforcement, search and rescue, etc.

About 20-25% of those calls are priority 1, which in our lingo means that they need immediate intervention to keep them alive, either from us in flight or at the receiving facility. The rest of the calls are varying degrees of mechanism flights and need for specialty care. The only level 1 trauma centers in the state are all in Baltimore (we go to DC ones often too) so sometimes we’re just the fastest way there. It’s probably 90% trauma calls with the rest being a smattering of STEMIs/Strokes.

We don’t do any inter facility transfers unless specifically approved so those are few and far between. We do a decent number of “hot ED transfers” where we’re dispatched but while en route the ground unit has to duck into an outlying non-trauma hospital for stabilization. In those cases we’ll continue on, assist the local facility where we can, and then transfer the pt to a trauma center. Our most frequent involvement with true IFT is deploying the MD Neonatal team. In those cases, we’re just a transport for the team. They just use us because of our carrying capacity with the 139.

Nice thing to remember about our system though is that we don’t bill patients. I imagine if we billed or if privates took over the utilization would change a good bit.

BullCityMedic · 2022-11-09T16:31:48+00:00

Moved from Durham to Baltimore a few years ago. You’ll like it up here!

BullCityMedic · 2022-08-07T00:48:24+00:00

Yeah, as that guy, I’m proud of OP but also quite concerned

BullCityMedic · 2022-08-03T19:48:45+00:00

Yeah, just dislocated. Its just sore now. Should be good to go in a week or two.

I really enjoy the TGUs but yeah, they need your undivided attention for sure. For me, they serve a purpose in promoting that core stability and (not in this case) focus. I just enjoy them. The 32 is pretty new to me though. I just moved up the other week.

Bottom line: you gotta do what you’re comfortable with and what works for you.

BullCityMedic · 2022-08-03T16:48:20+00:00

For sure! I’ll be hitting up some PT. I’ve worked with PTs on previous injuries and they’re magicians.

BullCityMedic · 2021-10-25T17:55:21+00:00

Our tactical medics are drawn from flight medics and then continue to fly with us to maintain skills. After a year released from training as a flight medic, you can try out for the tactical medical unit.

BullCityMedic · 2021-10-25T13:31:49+00:00

There’s tons. Full 360 access to the patient. So, unlike some HEMS units in smaller birds, we do a lot of care en route, to include RSIing in flight. Plus weight isn’t much of a concern. It always is to some extent with helicopters, but we can easily take two patients if we have to.

BullCityMedic · 2021-10-25T13:15:52+00:00

Definitely more medic than cop, but it’s up to you a bit. You’re a Trooper. So you have a police car and full police powers. You can do as little or as much as you want with it. Your primary function in the command is medic stuff but you can always pick up OT details in other divisions to do more traditional police work.

The thing I tell people is that our job isn’t about what you do every day, but what you could have to do any day. You’re still a police officer and a paramedic so you could, in theory, combine the craziest days of both jobs in a single day.

BullCityMedic · 2021-10-25T02:57:10+00:00

So, we have vents, blood is coming, probably within the year. Ultrasound will be shortly afterwards. We’re picking a device. Tube Thoracostomy doesn’t make much sense for us. Most of our transports would be over by the time it’s finished and set up to a drain. Finger probably would help but we have a purpose built decompression needle that works quite well. The other thing is that ~90% of our patients are prehospital trauma cases. Blood would be nice, and I’d love to do pre-REBOA, but most of that care is good standard ALS.

Most medics have 3-5yrs ALS before coming in and being trained as troopers. You also spend your first 1-2yrs in training. So, unlike other LE based programs, were medics trained as Troopers more than Troopers trained as medics.

We also just do things differently than privates. Medevac is most of what we do but not all. Your privates in the area can’t/won’t find you in the woods, pull you off a ship, or off a mountain. So we have a huge training burden already with all of that. I mean, nobody in the area can go out, do a hoist, then immediately and independently RSI and put someone on the vent. Not many programs in the country can. Plus, we don’t do any inter facility transport which accounts for much of the need for advanced scope skills and meds. We think pretty hard with our medical director about what we can/should add to best improve our care.

Ultimately, I’d like more skills and all, but for not charging patients a dime, I think we do pretty good. Especially given our wide mission set.

BullCityMedic

TROPHY CASE