New MedEvac Helicopter Could Cut Response Times in Half for County

MILLVILLE – A new MedEvac helicopter will be put into service on Sat., Dec. 3. The newest helicopter will be the primary response air ambulance for Cape May County and response times will be cut in half.
The new MedEvac, a Euro-copter EC-135 with the radio call sign Atlantic Air Two, is a joint venture between Cooper University Trauma Center and Atlantic Ambulance Corp. The helicopter is based at the Millville Municipal Airport, a distance of 18 nautical miles. The flight time once in the air to the Woodbine airport is just seven minutes.
The new air ambulance was made possible by changes in the way air ambulances are dispatched. In the past, MedEvacs that flew in excess of 100 mph were not very fast for flights to Cape May County due to the distance they traveled.
Cape May City Fire Chief Jerry Inderweis said he has documented cases of the New Jersey State Police helicopter SouthSTAR taking 45 minutes to arrive after requesting an emergency evacuation.
“They always tell us 20 minutes but that’s once they actually get in the air,” he said. “But usually its 30-plus minutes.
“We recently had a call at the Coast Guard base, we were told a 15 minute responce time but it took SouthSTAR 45 minutes,” Inderweis said.
Six years ago, New Jersey had just two aeromedical helicopters available. Both operated by the State Police to evacuate those seriously injured. One helicopter was based in the north and south sections of the state.
SouthSTAR (Shock Trauma Air Rescue) based at Virtua Health Voorhees Campus was, at the time, the closest MedEvac to Cape May County, which was a distance of 53 nautical miles.
In 2005, AtlantiCare joined with Hahnemann University Hospital to base a MedEvac at the Hammonton Airport. MedEvac 5 would now be the closest aeromedical helicopter to Cape May County but state protocol at the time had State Police helicopters dispatched first regardless of which helicopter was closest to the call.
Victims’ chances of survival are greatest if they receive care within a short period of time after a severe injury. This practice is commonly known as the “Golden Hour” by first responders. Dispatching a helicopter which was further away increased the amount of time the patient received definitive care, which statistically reduced the chances of a favorable outcome for the patient.
In 2006, this rule came under fire when a paramedic in North Jersey requested a helicopter from a private company that was closer to a man who was critically injured in a motorcycle crash. The medic’s request was denied and the State Police helicopter NorthSTAR, requiring 16 more minutes of flight time, was sent instead. The man died a week later.
The state changed its rules in 2007, allowing private companies to receive priority in certain areas near where their helicopters were based; an area of only 5 miles. The new rule had no affect on response times to Cape May County because the state helicopter was still primary.
In September of this year the rules were once again changed. This time helicopters will solely be dispatched based on their distance to the scene. An exception will occur if the difference in distance between a state and private helicopter is less than five nautical miles. When responding to a 9-1-1 call, the state gets priority. When handling transportation between hospitals, private companies get the first call.
The newest guidelines sparked a sudden interest by air ambulance companies in the Millville Airport, which is owned and operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority. DRBA spokesman James Salmon told the Herald that three air ambulance companies expressed interest in operating from Millville. So far only Atlantic Ambulance Corp has followed through.
Atlantic Ambulance Corporation’s Director Richard Donnoven, EMT-P, said he is “pleased to be working with Cooper University a leader in trauma care.”
Several sources in AtlantiCare’s aeromedical program told the Herald that AtlantiCare has plans to move MedEvac 5’s base to Vineland Regional Medical Center which will would reduce response times for a second aircraft if an additional air ambulance is needed.
“We like to have the patients to the trauma center in an hour or less, so decreased response times for air medical would definitely benefit the patient and save lives,” Inderweis said.
Sample Atlantic Air Two EC-135 Flight Times according to flight time calculator. Flight times are based on when the aircraft actually takes off and will not account for dispatching delays.
From the Millville airport to:
Ocean City Airport: 11 minutes
Woodbine Municipal Airport: 7 minutes
Cape May County Armory Heliport: 9 minutes
Cape May County Airport: 12 minutes
Cape May Coast Guard Base 15 minutes.