these challenges first hand. Petit started his career as a ground EMT, then HAA hired and trained him and two other Haitians to become the country’s first certified flight EMTs. “The centralized emergency system (Haiti’s version of 911) isn’t always functional,” says Petit. “There are many steps to getting the patient to proper care.”
“There’s nothing canned here,” adds rotary pilot Vincent Arnold.
“Every flight that comes in is going to have its own personality.” Despite that fact, Arnold and HAA’s team members are surmounting challenges and saving lives every day in Haiti. Together, they make a real difference in a country where fast, locally-based aerial assistance has never been available before.