Use of an air medical helicopter in a trauma prevention program

Abstract

Trauma is acknowledged as the leading cause of death in the United States in those under 45 years old, with the automobile being particularly lethal and costly. Preventive teaching is a component of any injury reduction program, and health care providers are becoming more actively involved in such efforts. The Mercy Air Ambulance medical team has developed a mock vehicle-collision demonstration, which is staged at area high schools shortly before graduation. The program is a joint effort of several agencies and services. It simulates the arrest of the responsible driver, the rescue and subsequent air medical transport of two injured students and the death of a fourth student. Not only does this program educate the students in an entertaining fashion, but it results in valuable training for the multiple agencies and individuals who participate in the actual response to motor-vehicle collisions.