GPS Firm Donates Navigation Tool to Air Medical Community

Thursday, 21 June 2012 07:08

Source: ACCT

0 Comments

Air medical services providers have a chance to add a new tool to their safety program, and at a discount. Satellite Technology International, Inc. (STI) has donated a helicopter global positioning system (GPS) approach/departure, to be auctioned off by the Association of Critical Care Transport (ACCT).

This is the second Approach/Departure system donated by STI. In 2010 Children’s Mercy of Kansas City won the auction in a final flurry of bidding. GPS approaches offer point in space navigation for helicopters during times of instrument flight rules (IFR) flying—necessary when bad weather decreases visibility and cloud cover is lower.

GPS approach technology allows medical helicopters to fly safely directly to hospitals or other designated locations to pick up patients, saving critical time and improving the reliability of services to patients. Without GPS approaches even helicopters flying IFR would be required to land at airports that have instrument approaches. This would mean a patient would need to be transported by ground to meet the helicopter at the airport. GPS approaches enhance the safety of the helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) flight crews and patients while providing increased services in a wider variety of weather conditions.

"As the world's leader of helicopter GPS approach development, STI has always believed that IFR transport is one of the safest and most reliable means of transport for the HEMS community," says Jason Patrick, President and CEO of STI. "STI believes in the values that ACCT expresses and wanted to help promote these values to all of the HEMS community across the country. In this light, STI is proud to announce this second donation of a helicopter GPS approach to the Association of Critical Care Transport." "We greatly appreciate the generosity of STI in providing this valuable resource that we can offer to helicopter emergency medical services," says Lisa Tofil, executive director of ACCT. "ACCT is an advocate for safe, integrated, quality, and efficient critical care transport for patients and offering this tool to members of ACCT and other air medical services providers helps to fulfill our mission."

Over the last 15 years STI has completed over 400 helicopter GPS approaches and numerous helicopter GPS routes throughout the country. More information on STI is available at www.stigps.com. The auctioning of the GPS approach, with an approximate value of $20,000, is scheduled to conclude at the ACCT annual meeting which will be held in Colorado Springs on July 16, 2012. The bidding process begins online at noon on June 25th and will close at 6:00 p.m. (MDT), Monday, July 16, 2010 2 for non-ACCT members. An additional 45 minutes, until 6:15 p.m. (MDT), will be reserved for bidding by ACCT members only. Bids can be placed via the following email address: ACCTforPatients@gmail.com.

About STI, Inc.
STI, a pioneer in helicopter IFR infrastructure offers a turn-key program in development of individual or networks of Helicopter GPS Approach/Departure procedures and IFR route implementation. A truly one stop shop, STI offers complete services including helipad inspections, DigiWX Part 135 weather reporting systems, obstacle surveys and classifications, night approach evaluation, commissioning flight evaluation, FAA approved GPS routes and feeders, approach and network maintenance and full coordination with the FAA throughout design and implementation. STI is a member of the International Helicopter Safety Team and continues a long tradition of safety leadership in helicopter operations.

About the Association of Critical Care Transport
The Association of Critical Care Transport (ACCT) is a non-profit grassroots patient advocacy organization committed to ensuring that critically ill and injured patients have access to the safest and highest quality critical care transport system possible. ACCT is comprised of air and ground critical care transport providers, business organizations, associations, and individuals all striving to provide our communities, hospitals and EMS partners in care, regulators, and policy makers with a path toward a safer and more trustworthy critical care transport system for patients.