First responders attend landing zone training

Approximately forty first responders from departments across the county recently participated in helicopter landing zone training designed to prepare emergency personnel for situations involving air medical transport.

The training began indoors with a discussion of the dangers associated with helicopters and the precautions responders must take when approaching or walking around an aircraft. Participants learned the criteria for selecting a safe landing zone, how to communicate directly with the helicopter crew and the types of patient situations that may require helicopter transportation.

Responders also discussed the potential dangers helicopters and ground personnel face when an aircraft is approaching or leaving an emergency scene.

The training then moved outside, where participants used the same radio channel to communicate with the helicopter as it circled the area. Responders established and secured a landing zone before the helicopter landed.

Following the landing, participants had the opportunity to tour the helicopter, ask questions of the crew and gain a better understanding of air medical operations.

With approximately forty responders representing departments from throughout the county, the training provided an opportunity for local emergency personnel to strengthen communication and coordination between ground responders and air medical crews.

The Leland Fire Department would like to give a special thanks to the Air Evac staff and the other local fire departments who came to participate in this training exercise. Organizers say it is very important that all departments have a unified understanding of emergency scenes, and they said it was extremely beneficial to have multiple departments participate in this exercise.