NOTHING BUT THE BEST

The Rescue Helicopter

The Rescue Helicopter made its first Isle of Man appearance in 1963 when it airlifted Yamaha rider, Tony Godfrey to hospital after a life-threatening accident at Milntown during the 250cc Lightweight Race. Seen every year since, the helicopter has become a crucial part of both the TT and MGP Races – in fact practising nor racing would commence if weather permitted the helicopter to take off. 
The cost of the helicopter for the TT Races is paid for by the IoM Department of Tourism and Leisure with the Manx Grand Prix Supporters paying the required £21,000 for the MGP. One French Aero-Spatiale twin Squirrel vehicle covers practice sessions with two being available during racing.
Drums of fuel are kept at the base-landing site in the field opposite Douglas Police Station on Glencrutchery Road; a forty-gallon drum with an electric pump can be used to do a rotor running refuel in only a few minutes. Carrying a doctor, usually an A&E or anaesthetic consultant, a paramedic and over £20,000 of medical equipment the helicopter can transport two casualties on scoop stretchers, one above the other, on the left hand side of the pilot.
Often based around the circuit – Greeba, Alpine Cottage, the Bungalow – the helicopter, with a top speed of 150mph, is at an incident within five minutes of Airmed alert; on average seven minutes is spent on the ground before heading to Douglas meaning that an injured competitor is receiving hospital treatment within twenty minutes of coming off his or her machine. This time should be reduced even further with the opening of the new Nobles Hospital inside the Course in the Braddan area.
In the Manx Organisation for Motorsport Medical Officers and Paramedics Newsletter, Chief Medical Officer, Doctor David Stevens gives clear indication of the expectations of marshals on the ground with respect to the helicopter. Communication to Race Control must be precise regarding the exact location of the incident and the number of the competitor concerned and the plate colour if it is practice. There should be some indication as to the severity of the injuries especially if the casualty is unconscious. If there is any doubt about the condition of a casualty then Dr Stevens firmly advises a helicopter evacuation, as serious injuries may not always be apparent.
If Airmed is expected at the scene of an incident then a Travelling Marshal, or someone with local knowledge, should find a suitable landing site as close as possible to the casualty. This should be flat, about the size of a tennis court, with no tall vegetation. The helicopter should be watched and listened for and when in visual range be signalled by waving something clearly visible from the middle of the landing site. Arrangements should be made, if the casualty’s condition allows, for his / her transfer to the periphery of the landing site on a scoop stretcher. The casualty will be loaded into the aircraft, still on the scoop, on to the top berth, with any second casualty being put in the lower. The rider’s helmet always accompanies the casualty in the helicopter as the damage it has sustained may give valuable information to the A&E Department on the nature of any head injuries. The crew always supervise the loading of casualties, as they should be the only ones to open and close all doors and catches.
Marshals and spectators should ensure that there are no loose items such as helmets, bags, coats or debris in the region of the landing site, which might be blown onto the Course by the downwash from the helicopter’s rotors, which create a sudden wind of 80mph. The aircraft carries three 10 pound dry powder fire extinguishers not only to provide back up at an incident, but also to provide replacements for those used on the ground, the empty ones being taken away for refilling.
Whilst flying to Nobles Hospital, the crew pass on information about the casualty’s condition to A&E so treatment can commence immediately on arrival. 

Information obtained thanks to MOMMOP Newsletter.


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