remains between the pilot and crew continually during every flight, most often an NVG (night-vision goggles) curtain. Te aircraft is also completely disinfected after each transport before it can return to service, with the medical crew disin- fecting the cabin while the pilot disinfects the cockpit. At bases and hospital ready rooms, pilots and staff are


observing social distancing, often staying in their own offices. Some services also require pilots and flight crews to remain masked at all times. Others are initiating similar masking and social separation requirements for their maintenance staff while also limiting the number of mechanics who may work on an aircraft at the same time and prohibiting non- essential people in the hangar. Service operations themselves are also changing. “Prior


to all this, we had strict liftoff times and monitored them closely, treating everything like a scene call,” Rohrbach says. “Now, we’re slowing it down for interfacility transports. We’re treating all flights as if everyone is a COVID patient. A lot goes into preparing the aircraft and crews to ensure we’re all safe. Tere’s also a longer out-of-service time at the end of flights while we thoroughly disinfect the aircraft.” Te lack of firm medical guidance in the early days of the


pandemic created additional difficulties. Geisinger Medical Center owns and operates all of its nine aircraft, employing all staff, from pilots and mechanics to medical teams. When COVID began to reach its service area, the organi- zation immediately banned air transports of known COVID patients. “Around the beginning of March, when


this was just taking off in our area, infor- mation about the virus and the recommended policies were changing daily, even hourly,” Splitt says. “We didn’t know a lot about how it was transmitted, and until we did and could safely protect our staff, we had to rely on ground transport.” Geisinger slowly transitioned positive


COVID patients to airlift as more infor- mation became available about the virus and how to safely transport those patients.


The Power of Teamwork Across the board, air medical transport services are working together and with medical facilities to share information and best practices. Many hold daily calls to learn the latest information on the virus and recommendations for safe operations. Colorado-based Global Medical Response


2020 Q2 ROTOR 29


(GMR) in January of this year officially combined all its air and ground operations, which on the helicopter side include Air Evac Lifeteam, Med-Trans Corp., REACH Air Medical Services, and Guardian Flight. COVID put the newly con- solidated company to the test. “I was really impressed with the level of communication


that came from GMR to help all employees understand COVID and that we can safely transport people with this disease,” says GMR VP of Operations Joe Grygiel. Formerly with Air Evac Lifeteam, Grygiel found his new parent com- pany’s coordinated communications effort a literal lifesaver. “When everyone better understands, it helps ease anxiety


and they can do their jobs better. COVID information is changing daily. What was said yesterday will change tomor- row,” says Grygiel. “With calls, a COVID-19 information website for employees, peer support, and even a chaplain line, GMR is making it possible for employees to focus on the job. “Te company was also able to put its weight behind


efforts to get personal protective equipment for all of our teams, which is no small [achievement],” Grygiel adds. “Tey turned over quite a few rocks, but their buying power helped


Geisinger Life Flight Pilot Bruce Linton and Nurses Maura Brunmeier and Chris Woodring prepare for a NICU transport.


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