Dear Prehospital Care Provider:

In an effort to improve helicopter response times to accident scenes, Life Flight is pleased to announce a change in the dispatch of the helicopter for scene requests. Beginning July 1st, Life Flight will initiate an autolaunch method of dispatching the helicopter when certain criteria are met. Autolaunch is a method of dispatching whereby the Life Flight dispatcher can send the helicopter to a scene, as opposed to a request-driven dispatch. For example, when specific criteria are met, the dispatcher auto dispatches the helicopter, instead of waiting until the prehospital agency on scene determines that the helicopter is needed, and then dispatch occurs at a later time.

Currently, Life Flight is placed on standby for scene requests while BLS and ALS are en route to the scene location. The Life Flight helicopter is in a ready position on the helipad at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, but does not lift. As more scene details become available, or EMS on scene determine that rapid transport and/or more advanced life support is necessary; the helicopter is dispatched. While this method has been advantageous in some situations, more often the helicopter is cancelled due to prolonged response times of the helicopter when compared to the patient's readiness for transport.

The criteria developed for autolaunch are basically the same as those developed by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma for the appropriate use of a helicopter for trauma scene flights. Life Flight added a geographical radius from the base hospital to the autolaunch criteria and this includes:

• Scene location is 20 nautical miles or greater from hospital base
• Major MVA with prolonged extrication, rollover, fatality of occupant in same vehicle
• Multiple casualty
• Farm accidents, industrial accidents, major limb amputation
• Areas inaccessible by ground, Penetrating trauma, i.e. GSW, stab wound
• Major burns
• Near drowning

Beginning July 1st, Life Flight dispatch will request the usual dispatch information. In the event one of the above criteria are met, the dispatcher will inform the caller that Life Flight will be dispatched and en route to the scene location. Updated aircraft ETA's will be provided the calling agency so that landing zones may be prepared. Prehospital personnel must understand that a helicopter may be en route even though someone on scene did not "officially" dispatch it. At any time, on scene providers may cancel the helicopter if the injuries do not warrant helicopter evacuation.

Through the autolaunch method of dispatch, our goal is to get the helicopter to the scene faster for those whose Golden Hour of out-of-hospital time following major trauma is time critical. It has been well documented in the trauma literature that dispatching helicopter crews rapidly to accident scenes reduces transport times, decreases morbidity and mortality rates, with improved patient outcomes and survivability. Thank you for your participation in our efforts to make a difference in the lives of those we care for.


Your Life Flight Crew