LIFESAVER|[3/27/06]

Published 12:00 am Monday, March 27, 2006

University Medical Center’s AirCare marks 10 years of service to city, state.

Before Dec. 3, 2005, Chris Guzman had never been in a helicopter. The 15-minute trip from River Region Medical Center to University Medical Center isn’t one he remembers, but he is grateful for the ride.

&#8220It was my first helicopter ride, and I had to miss it,” said the 17-year-old, who suffered a broken back and head injuries after being thrown from the back of a pickup on Warriors Trail.

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But, &#8220I’m glad they were there,” he said. &#8220Minutes and seconds do matter, and they got me there a lot quicker.”

Chris is talking about UMC AirCare, one of three air ambulances in Mississippi, but the only one that travels statewide. The aircraft and its crew take seriously ill and injured patients to UMC, the state’s only Level 1 trauma center.

In 1991, legislation was passed authorizing the development of the Mississippi Trauma Care System. The system consists of hospitals rated in five levels – a Level 1 offers the highest level of care and a Level 5, the least. River Region is Level 3.

&#8220We are dealing with the sickest of the sick,” said AirCare’s chief flight nurse, Donna Norris.

This year is AirCare’s 10th anniversary. In the last decade, it has flown more than a million miles and has made at least 285 trips to Vicksburg. More than 7,200 patients have been treated in the aircraft.

The Bell 230 helicopter is, basically, a miniature intensive care unit, equipped with a ventilator, units of blood and medications. It can travel at a speed of up to 170 mph and can hold two patients. The AirCare team includes four pilots, six nurses, five paramedics, two mechanics and three neonatal nurses.

PHI, a Lafayette, La., company, supplies AirCare with pilots, mechanics, a backup helicopter, as well as aviation and medical crew training.

Each emergency trip can cost up to $8,000, Norris said, depending on the distance traveled, medicines used and other factors. No one is refused the service even if they don’t have insurance or can’t afford it, she said.

Charlie Swearingen was one of the flight paramedics on duty the night Chris was flown from River Region to UMC.

&#8220We just scooped in and continued what they started,” he said. &#8220When you have trauma like that… it can be tedious maintaining certain levels, but that’s what we do. We maintain all their vitals.”

Swearingen, who has been an AirCare paramedic for a year and has flown more than 200 flights with the program, dropped in a few days later to check on his patient.

&#8220He said he was amazed by how good I was doing because of how bad I was hurt,” Chris said.

Swearingen hopes to, one day, show Chris the helicopter he doesn’t remember.

&#8220It’s a great way to help them get through the mental and psychological stuff,” Swearingen said. &#8220And it’s great for me because I know what we do is actually helping.”