RICK KENIN: TAKING VAI TO NEW HEIGHTS


learned about Cuban and Haitian polit- ical issues, and oversaw drug interdic- tion and a lot of search and rescue.”


Honing the Air Ambulance Model In 2014, after Rick retired from the Coast Guard, he landed at Boston MedFlight. Like most air ambulance providers, it operated under a ven- dor model. For three decades, avia- tion organizations such as Keystone Aviation, Sikorsky-Ranger Aviation, and ERA Helicopters provided the aircraft, pilots, mechanics, and operating certif- icate while Boston MedFlight provided the nurses and paramedics. “Boston MedFlight was ready to


become their own air carrier, so they hired me to manage that process. While the company was doing exceptionally well, they wanted more control over everything,” Rick says. Over the next three years, Rick


helped Boston MedFlight navigate the rigorous process necessary to earn its Part 135 air carrier certificate for rotor- craft, and then again several years later


for fixed-wing aircraft. “Now the organization, from end to


end, is under the Boston MedFlight flag—everyone from the mechanics, pilots, nurses, and paramedics to the communications specialists, admin- istrators, and billing personnel. It’s pretty unique in our industry,” says Rick, who oversees both ground and air transportation. “By having our own air carrier certif-


icate, we’ve been able to develop the culture we want. It’s not just about how we fly or train, or how we maintain the aircraft, it’s also about how we care for patients,” says Rick. “One of the achievements I’m most


proud of is that we didn’t just become an air carrier, we also developed a safety culture with very active hazard reporting.” Charlie Blathras, then a paramedic


and now part of the leadership team at Boston MedFlight, introduced Rick to the air ambulance world and taught him the value of that holistic approach to safety. “As a friend and mentor, Charlie


helped me transition from the military to commercial aviation and, specifically, the air ambulance world,” says Rick. “He explained that the best thing we can do for the patient is get them where they need to go safely and deliver them to the hospital in better condition than when we picked them up.”


Fine-Tuning Best Practices With a firmly rooted safety culture and a skilled management team handling day-to-day tasks at Boston MedFlight, Rick is free to shape the organization’s future, from evaluating new projects and programs and ensuring funding is in place, to engaging with regula- tors, transportation departments, hospitals, and others. He is also active in the air ambulance community, serving on the Air Medical Operators Association’s Safety Committee and the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems’ Standards Committee. Boston MedFlight also belongs to


the North East Air Alliance, a partner- ship of seven air ambulance programs with 14 air ambulance bases that serve the Northeastern United States. Each member coordinates landing and flight following in their area and provides assistance to the others when trans- portation capacity is stretched thin. Rick sees strong partnerships like


these as fundamental to operating safely and successfully. “We work together, sharing communication centers and best practices. There’s plenty of business in the Northeast for all of us, so we’re able to use that to


Managing air ambulance services in New


England is a complex task. Rick oversees a team of skilled communications specialists, including Jack Treddin (seated), who ensure that patients get to where they need to go safely and efficiently.


32 POWER UP JUN 2025


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