Originally Posted by RobertD
Got airlifted from Little River A: to USA W & C in Mobile (30-40 miles as crow flies).

$37k and change bill. Insurance was not going to pay any of it to start with. I'm of course flipping out as to what I'm gonna do.


I'm in bed at home recovering a few weeks later and I see the same Air Medivac helicopter has delivered a football (the game ball. whatever that means) to J U Blacksher High School's opening football game. I can only presume as a publicity stunt.

WHO paid for THAT flight? I about lost my shucks over that one.

I was NOT bleeding much at all, wasn't unconscious, wasn't in cardiac arrest. Why did I need the helicopter? Who made that call? Local yokel on the Rescue Squad. You can just imagine what an ethical/moral dilemma it is to feel anger toward people who came to get you off the side of the road.


Yeah it's 100% a PR flight. It's private EMS. They are out to turn a profit by providing a service. Can't get many calls if nobody knows you exist. But please don't take it out on the flight crew! They don't get paid for their efforts and skills anywhere near what their employers charge patients. And yeah, local volunteers often activate birds when they're not needed. Heck, major city fire departments fly crap all the time that doesn't need to go by air. Some of that is incompetence, but sometimes it's just a judgement call. Can't see that liver laceration from the side of the road.

Oh, and cardiac arrests aren't flown. Can't do CPR inside a Bell 407. In fact, they have to land if the patient codes in the air and have a ground ambulance intercept and transport.