Logistical Concerns for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Response to the Injured Police Officer

Abstract

IntroductionAlthough infrequent, helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) have been activated to transport police officers injured in the line of duty. The purpose of this study was to query current industry operating procedures in terms of law enforcement training and operations, specifically in terms of firearms restrictions and cotransport of injured officers and suspects. MethodsThis is a survey-based study of air medical emergency medical services program managers in 2010. Descriptive statistics and the Fisher exact test were used to analyze the results. ResultsFifty-eight programs (78.4%) reported transporting officers injured in the line of duty. Sixty-three respondents (85.1%) maintained a written policy addressing the presence of weapons aboard the aircraft; 58.8% of respondents replied that this restriction applied to sworn law enforcement personnel on active duty. Nearly a quarter of programs with written firearms policies have not informed the law enforcement agencies affected by these policies. Two programs reported having cotransported an injured officer and a suspect. ConclusionHEMS will continue to play an important role in the care and transportation of injured officers. HEMS programs may have specific policies that impact law enforcement operations. Open communication of these policies and interagency training are critical to effective interaction during high-stress incidents.