Climbing up onto my soapbox

I'm sure many of you remember the tragic Amish school shooting that happened around two years ago this month. This was something that chilled many to the bone and terrified others. Many of you also I'm sure have fresh in your memories the tragic crash of "Trooper 2" here in Maryland last month. Both tragedies hit close to home and both you will see are somewhat interconnected.

After the recent crash of our state medevac chopper, the Maryland State Police have come under close scrutiny by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA. Suddenly, even after having 90,000 accident free flight hours under their belt, lawmakers want change. One lawmaker in particular who has a vested interest in a private medical helicopter company, Medstar.

Sen. John C. Astle would like nothing more than to see our renowned state run medevac system become privatized. What happens when privatization occurs you ask? If privatization were allowed to occur, Mr. Astle would be making beaucoup bucks with each flight completed by Medstar Health. This would also mean that the once free transportation service offered by the Maryland State Police helicopters from crash scene to hospital would now cost the patient or their insurance company money. Certain private medical helicopter companies would also be more likely to fly patients to their own facilities, i.e - Medstar medevacs would be more likely to fly to a Medstar health facility. Not such a bad thing you think? This is where the Amish school shooting connection comes in to play.

Back when the shooting occurred, several medical helicopters flew in to transport the critically wounded children to trauma centers. What many didn't know was that there were two instances where privatized medical helicopters failed those children. One little girl was loaded onto a Medstar chopper and FLEW OVER a close by pediatric trauma center in favor of a Medstar health center which was further away. To add to that, the chopper actually STOPPED FOR GAS along the way. Another little child bled to death on the way to a Medstar facility after flying over the same pediatric trauma center. Would that child have been saved if they had gone to the nearest pediatric trauma center? Who knows. But there is always a possibility. (Think of the Golden Hour theory which was pioneered by R Adams Cowley himself.)

I will let you pick your jaws up off of the floor.

My point here is that privatization isn't necessarily the way to go. With our state medevac choppers, the flight paramedics and pilots fly to the most reasonable facility whether it be the closest due to time or to our trauma center due to our expertise on head and spine injury. THEY DON'T CHOOSE WHAT IS BEST FOR THEMSELVES, THEY CHOOSE WHAT IS BEST FOR THE PATIENT. And that my friends is the difference.

Time to climb back down off of my soapbox. It is so sad when a system that is copied closely in other states due to its great efficacy is now being slammed and lambasted. Interesting though how it is lawmakers with a vested interest in a private helicopter company isn't it?

What are your thoughts?

Trooper 2

It is truly a sad day for us here in Maryland, particularly those in the trauma center/state police family. Earlier this morning one of our Medevac choppers, known to us as "Trooper 2" went down in a wooded area shortly after lift-off from a crash scene with two injured on board. Unfortunately four of the five on board did not make it, including the pilot, the flight nurse and another EMT along with one of the injured from the auto crash. I woke up to this horrifying news after I read about it in my morning ritual of scanning Fox News.

This news truly hit home for alot of us here at the trauma center. They weren't on their way to us, but on their way to another hospital. We have had pretty bad weather the past couple of days, and it is rare that they will fly the helicopters on those days unless absolutely necessary. It is quite the risk to all involved.

I was invited to fly along with Trooper 1 for a day (since I work in the trauma center) and of course that was my first thought was that it were friends I had made who fly Trooper 1. But we have met all of the troopers so far, some we have gotten to know better than others. These are some of the hardest working people, obviously risking their lives to save others. It just really intensifies my feelings on how people drive, and the personal safety precautions they take to ensure safety for themselves and for others. I find it to be such a selfish act to drive drunk, drive aggressively, drive recklessly, ride scooters/ATV's without a proper helmet, not be on the lookout for motorcyclists, etc. These are the crashes and injuries we see come in all the time in the trauma center, and most times they are flown in to us via our Trooper choppers. People need to think for a second before they hop behind the wheel after having "a few beers", or before they speed up on that wet road and try to pass the person in front of them who is going too slow. And while there is a helmet law here in Maryland, there is no law governing those who ride scooters, mopeds or ATV's. You don't know how many times I have seen a person come in with severe head trauma from riding these without a helmet. Most times those riding the scooters, etc. are not wearing protective head gear. It only takes a second folks. A second to make the choice between safer living, or injuries and worse.

Please keep the families of those aboard Trooper 2 in your thoughts and prayers. And think longer before doing something that could potentially harm yourself or others around you.

Maryland State Police Aviation Command - Trooper 2

Muffin Tops - Nutritious and delicious

"Today the moon narrowly missed hitting a man's eye like a big pizza pie …" - Crow

"… scientists believe, that's amore." - Tom



While at the Walmart in Del Rio, Texas (because really there is nothing else to do), Mr. Hot Pilot and I were headed through the food section looking for snacky-snacks for Munchkin to take to school everyday when we came across "Muffin-Tops Cereal" by Malt-O-Meal. I of course go "Muffin-Tops Cereal?? A-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" To which my boyfriend goes "Oh, that looks yummy, should we get it?" No friends, Mr. Hot Pilot had NEVER heard the term "Muffin Top". (You haven't either? Oh my...well here is an example =

So once I had informed Mr. Hot Pilot, he found it to be the most HIGH-larious thing he had ever heard. Glad to have been of some form of entertainment for you my love. I suppose I can see where Malt-O-Meal is going with this. I tend to only enjoy that yummy top of my muffin as well (along with cutting calories by throwing away the bottom portion). Maybe my muffin-eating preferences will reduce the chances of gaining my own muffin top? Either that or I will buy pants that sit well on my hips, but I'm just sayin'!