The 2016 LifeFlight Eagle Safety Symposium features an excellent lineup of presentations on an array of timely and relevant topics that will hit home for any air-medical professional.

In addition to high-caliber speakers, the Symposium offers an excellent opportunity for networking and dialogue with colleagues and peers from programs across the country as you discuss how we collectively can improve the safety of our industry.

Registration for the Symposium is offered free of charge thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, Bell Helicopter and PHI Air Medical.

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Becoming Suriviors

We have an industry full of “survivors.”

Everybody has a story ... many stories, really, that could benefit others in terms of safety and survivorship. If you have been through traumatic experiences, near-misses, incidents, or accidents, we encourage you to recognize the impact those have had on you. Recognize that, even though we are the rescuers and caregivers it is imperative that we take care of ourselves and allow others to give us a hand once in a while.

Krista Haugen knows firsthand. She survived a helicopter-crash from a rooftop helipad in Olympia, Washington in October of 2005, one month after a crash in which three of her friends and colleagues perished. The ripple-effect of experiencing such a loss followed by a helicopter crash was profound personally and professionally. Shortly thereafter, Krista founded the Survivor’s Network.

Krista will share her personal experience and what she has learned by connecting with countless others who have suffered traumatic circumstances, and how by sharing our own stories of survival, all of us can emerge stronger.

Fit Responders: Reducing flight crew injuries 

EMS jobs rank among the nation’s most dangerous when it comes to on-the-job injuries. We’ve known it for years, but what do we do about it? Especially in air-medicine, where equipment innovations like power cots are impractical?

We look to science and evidence-based medicine to guide every aspect of how we treat our patients. Why not use the same approach for injury prevention?

Bryan Fass, author and founder of Fit Responder, will discuss how the science of exercise physiology and implementation of employee fitness programs can help reduce the risk to our most valuable assets.

Beyond Basics: Air-Medical PPE

Tragically, during the past several years we’ve seen multiple examples of potentially survivable crashes that claimed the lives of our colleagues because of post-crash fire. Crash-resistant fuel tanks are a hot topic of conversation in our industry right now, but full implementation of any solution is years away. What can we do now as air-medical professionals to prepare ourselves with the appropriate behaviors and personal protective equipment that will give us the best chance at surviving the worst-case scenario?

Darrin Buchta, certified flight paramedic and AAMS Vision Zero team member, will discuss personal equipment and how what you wear – even under your flight suit – can help save your life.

Organizational preparedness in the age of terror and violence

Not a week has gone by in the past several months that doesn’t feature headlines about first responders, firefighters, or law enforcement being attacked. It’s the unfortunate reality we must now face, and air-medical programs and personnel are not exempt. What can we do to prevent an attack on our staff and ourselves, and what can we do to prepare ourselves should one happen?

The FBI’s Kansas City field office will provide insight into emerging trends into attacks on emergency personnel, and provide actionable items we all can take home to assist with and improve the safety of our own programs.

Personal risk assessment: How are you vulnerable?

What type of risk-taker are you? Invincible? The Anti-Authority type perhaps? Whether we like to admit it, each of us is vulnerable to taking risks in our own way.

LifeFlight Eagle Director of Safety Joe Coons will administer to each participant a personal risk assessment, which facilitates a deep look inside yourself to discover your own vulnerabilities to risk, and how to overcome them. You’ll be able to take these same assessments back to your own programs to allow everyone to examine their own risk factors, and perhaps to open new doors to conversation about how to improve safety as a program.

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After surviving a helicopter-crash from a rooftop helipad in Olympia, Washington in October of 2005, one month after a crash in which three of her friends and colleagues perished, flight nurse Krista Haugen found herself in uncharted territory. The ripple-effect of experiencing such a loss followed by a helicopter crash was profound personally and professionally. She quickly became aware that the magnitude of resources needed after this type of trauma were not readily available. So when she heard of the helicopter EMS (HEMS) crash in Kalispell, Montana in November of 2006, she called to offer support to the crew, who had all survived. She eventually heard back from flight nurse Megan Hamilton, and in sharing their post-crash experiences they began to recognize similarities and the importance of networking for support.

Darrin Buchta B.S., NRP, FP-C

As a child Darrin spent many days with his father at their local volunteer fire station. Here he grew up watching his dad tend to the firetrucks and respond to emergency scenes. This is where he was first instilled with the passion to help others. After graduating from Loogootee High School in 2007 he pursued an Associate’s Degree in Emergency Medical Services from Vincennes University. Earning his EMT-B certification in 2008, he decided to pursue further certification. Just two years later he earned his paramedic license and continued to grow within the EMS community.

Joe Coons manages LifeFlight Eagle's safety systems in conjunction with its air operator, PHI Air Medical. He also leads the Safety Advisory Group, a multi-disciplined committee that works together to improve the safety of the program. Within his role as Director of Safety, Joe oversees operations in LifeFlight Eagle’s communication center. He also coordinates and hosts the LifeFlight Eagle Safety Symposium in Kansas City that brings air medical programs from all over the nation to share in safety presentations from industry experts.