Metropolitan aeromedical service: state of the art.

This article summarizes the salient features of seven federally funded experimental helicopter aeromedical ambulance services. The lessons applicable to metropolitan aeromedical service are presented. Of over 30 currently operational helicopter ambulance services, eleven are discussed in detail because of a unique feature which characterizes each. Air rescue activity during the Los Angeles earthquake of February 1971, and hurricane Agnes in Pennsylvania in June 1972, are reported and assessed. The elements of a successful aeromedical service are: multi-mission approach; a small number of hospitals selected because of specialized facilities; adequate airborne equipment; aeromedical crewmen; communications with the ground; a reasonable cost; and operational hours coinciding with peak traffic.