FAQ
If you have any questions you would like to see answered here, please send us an e-mail.
What's going on with the Ride Along Program?
We are pleased to announce that we have reinstituted the Ride-Along program. Spots are currently available on a first come, first served basis. As we continue to train additional personnel to the helicopter we ask you to be patient and flexible as to your request for this exciting opportunity with DHART. For more Ride-Along information please call our dedicated voicemail box at 603-650-8888 box #59090.
Can DHART 1 land on the highway?
Yes, we can. We may even land on many two lane roads if the road is shut down in both directions.
Does DHART 1 require a pre-designated landing zone to land at a scene flight?
Not at all. DHART sets up the pre-designated landing sites to help EMS agencies who's service areas encompass difficult terrain. The DHART aircraft is fully capable of landing on highways and roadways including dirt roads day or night. If you decide to land us on a dirt road, we request that you have the fire department spray down the dirt so we don't experience a "brown out." We remind you to be aware of power lines and point them out to us before we enter the landing zone.
May we put DHART on standby even before we get to the scene or before the patient is extricated?
Yes, the sooner the better! This allows the aircraft to be pulled from the hanger if it is inside, the pilot to check weather if necessary, locate the incident on the map and obtain navigational coordinates from our computerized mapping program. It also allows the crew to assemble near the aircraft. More importantly, it allows you to know if the aircraft is available to respond. If we are not able to respond, we can coordinate a helicopter response for you.
What if the DHART helicopter is initially requested and then canceled while enroute or while landing? Is there a bill for services?
Absolutely not! DHART does not bill the hospital, rescue squad, ambulance, police or fire departments for the patient DHART was initially requested for. We respond because we are part of the Emergency Medical Services Team and realize that the dynamics of a situation can change while we are enroute. We would rather you call us earlier than later.
What if the weather looks bad? Should we still request DHART?
Absolutely. Let our Pilot make the determination about flying to your scene or hospital. We have access to advanced weather reporting equipment and can provide an answer in a very short time.
What if DHART is requested for a hospital transfer and a scene flight request comes in?
Our flight communicators will obtain necessary information and then contact the initial requesting hospital and explain the situation. We will ask whether or not the hospital can wait for us to complete the scene flight and immediately turn around for the hospital flight. (We can usually turn around within fifteen minutes which includes refueling and restocking of medical supplies.)
If the hospital can wait, we will respond to the scene flight. If the hospital cannot wait we will continue onto the original requester's location and advice the EMS dispatcher that we are unavailable to respond.
What happens to our equipment once DHART flies away with the patient?
It is very important that you have your equipment clearly labeled with your agency's name. This makes it easier to track your equipment if it leaves the Emergency Department and goes to the Operating Room or X-ray with the patient. We make every attempt to retrieve your equipment, clean it and then send it out the next business day via U.P.S. If your agency transports into DHMC often and would prefer to pick it up from us; call DHART COMM and let the Communicator know. We will secure it for you in the hanger.
WHAT IF we respond to a scene flight and decide in conjunction with EMS that the patient can be safely transported by the local ambulance service and does not require air medical transportation?
There are a couple of ways we can proceed from there. If there is a Paramedic on scene, we can release the patient to the Paramedic for transportation.
If there is not a Paramedic on the scene, we can discuss the ground crew's capabilities and whether or not it would be appropriate for the DHART crew to ride into the local hospital on your ambulance.
The goal is to provide the most appropriate mode of transportation to the most appropriate medical facility based on anatomical, physiological presentations along with the mechanism of injury.
