MLSS ends LifeGuard Partnership

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Today we have notified our staff and the counties that we serve that Lifeguard will launch for the last time on April 30, 2013. For the past 19 years the New York State Police Aviation Division and Mobile Life Support Services have worked together to provide over 1,000 Medivac and Search & Rescue Missions to the surrounding areas. The emergency services field has seen many changes since Lifeguard first launched in 1994. Taking all these changes into consideration, Mobile Life administration carefully reevaluated the program. There were many factors that played a role in the decision to end this program, including medical advances in the pre-hospital and hospital setting that are now offered to patients by EMS agencies throughout the area and local hospitals. Over the years there have been many different paramedics who have worn the blue flight suit and Mobile Life is very proud of each and every one. Lastly we want to thank the New York State Police Aviation Unit, who for 19 years got us home safe each and every time.

From MLSS's FaceBook. While I have no inside information, I wonder if the proliferation of flight programs, mostly full-time airships in northern New Jersey, just over the state line, played a role in this decision.

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What does that mean for the SP aviation operation in Newburgh? Will they look for a new medical partner?

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It was a great asset when it was availible

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What does that mean for the SP aviation operation in Newburgh? Will they look for a new medical partner?

SP Aviation is relatively unaffected. Their primary mission remains law enforcement. As for a new partnership, I'm not even sure one is needed. With the number of air assets available to the region, coverage seems more than adequate. Couple that with the new trauma center planned in Orange County, I think MLSS made a smart, business oriented decision.

Think about the number of resources available to this region:

LifeNet Air 2

LifeNet 7-5

Atlantic Air 1

Hackensack Air 1

NorthStar

Lehigh MedEvac Air 2

PennSTAR Air 3

LifeStar 1 & 2

Geisinger LifeFlight 3

If you extend the response area even further, you can add in even more:

Lehigh MedEvac Air(s) 2, 4 & 7

PennSTAR 5

JeffSTAT Air 2

LifeNet 7-1 & 7-2

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Also NJSP NorthSTAR

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Also NJSP NorthSTAR

Yes, see #5 on my list.

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SP Aviation is relatively unaffected. Their primary mission remains law enforcement. As for a new partnership, I'm not even sure one is needed. With the number of air assets available to the region, coverage seems more than adequate. Couple that with the new trauma center planned in Orange County, I think MLSS made a smart, business oriented decision.

I would assume that they will try an find a new partner. While they may not need to run medevac calls, I assume they will still be running as a rescue helicopter doing hoist operations, since apparently the next closest equipped helicopter is NYPD. As far as I was aware, the mobile life crew members were trained in the hoist rescue, so that would mean that NYSP would need to add at least on additional crew member on the crew to operate the hoist, and in addition, I would think they'd want medical personel on a rescue helicopter.

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I would assume that they will try an find a new partner. While they may not need to run medevac calls, I assume they will still be running as a rescue helicopter doing hoist operations, since apparently the next closest equipped helicopter is NYPD. As far as I was aware, the mobile life crew members were trained in the hoist rescue, so that would mean that NYSP would need to add at least on additional crew member on the crew to operate the hoist, and in addition, I would think they'd want medical personel on a rescue helicopter.

NYPD is probably closest, but NJSP aviation is also capable of hoist operations on their new AW139's

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I believe the USMA West Point has/or is planning to provide rescue helicopter services since the last issue on their base.