First "Lifeguard" Flight

EatSleepFly

EatSleepFly

Well-Known Member
First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

Did my first ever Lifeguard flight the other day. It was transporting a team of doctors to harvest an organ (a kidney, I think it was) from some poor dead person. We deadheaded over to another airport to snatch them up, flew them to where the organ donor was, then back to drop them (and their cooler) off.

We basically flew the entire flight just as we always would, being careful not to "rush" to the point where it would be unsafe. The "Lifeguard" callsign didn't get us as much priority as we thought it would. We didn't get direct on the first leg, in fact we got some really silly vectors (to get us over a busy arrival area) that definitely cost a few minutes, and routing in between 2-3 VOR's. We didn't get direct on the return clearance either, but shortly after takeoff, they did give it to us.

From what I understand, once the organ is harvested, its only good for so long. Organs have to come out in a certain order because of this- heart being last. So in the spirit of saving as much time as possible, we flew as fast as the Garretts and barber pole would allow, and did things such as starting the right engine while boarding, using full reverse to exit the runway ASAP, and taxiing a bit faster than normal.

Overall, it was good experience and I'm looking forward to doing it again. Afterwards, its rewarding to know that you did something to potentially save someones life.

Oh, and if anyone else has done this type of flying- tips and tricks are welcomed.
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Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

Forgot to add:

Before they got done with their thing, the docs requested a bucket of chicken wings for the return flight.

I don't think I could remove a kidney, and then go and chomp on chicken wings. But I guess they get used to it.
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So we ate lunch at BW3's, and got their wings from there.
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

I hauled a priority cargo of frozen human eyes once that were going to a facility in California. It was a call-up for a night run, and the package of eyes were the only thing I had onboard, so they were in the A-section of the cargo bay right behind the netand behind the co-pilot seat. Every now and again, I'd look back at this sealed styrofoam box, and got the eerie feeling that the contents of the box were staring at me from within.

Glad when the med team picked up that cargo after I landed.
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

I guess it's always handy to have an extra pair of eyes to scan for traffic.

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Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

[ QUOTE ]
I guess it's always handy to have an extra pair of eyes to scan for traffic.

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[/ QUOTE ]

*slaps my knee*
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Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

I don't remember the airport .... maybe Atlanta? .... but a couple of years ago, there was a taped up styrofoam container with markings along the lines of "very urgent - human eyes" just sitting on the counter at a vacant gate. Gave me a real good feeling about how the airline handles cargo.
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

Congrats on the job!!!! Thats awesome that you get to use your talent and skill to help people like that.

I'd think that they'd be discreet about labeling containers holding human "parts"
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Ryan
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

When I flew charter we used to do a lot of these trips... in the middle of the night...

One of the doctors always used to bring a sandwich with and put it in the cooler with the organ, about 1/2 way home, he'd pull out the sandwich and eat... Hope he never pulled out the worng "package" out of that cooler!

The Docs were all cool... when we'd fly them later they'd be like "Hey, remember the heart pickup in Winnipeg? Well it walked out of the hospital 6 days later!" and things like that, we usually got updates fairly often...
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

Geez sounds pretty cool.
I think that would have freaked me out a little. GOod experiance tho, i bet!
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

[ QUOTE ]

One of the doctors always used to bring a sandwich with and put it in the cooler with the organ, about 1/2 way home, he'd pull out the sandwich and eat... Hope he never pulled out the worng "package" out of that cooler!



[/ QUOTE ]

Definately an action that would curb my appetite anytime if I were to witness it!
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Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

I got to ride along right seat in a CJ1 on a "Lifeguard" flight conducted by a transplant organization based here in KC last fall. It was awesome. We went in the middle of the night, and for the life of me I cannot remember what organs we had on board - two packages went with us to ICT (Wichita, KS) then we went on to COU (Columbia, MO) with a 3rd.

I don't know that I can say we got priority handling - in my neck of the woods there isn't much traffic at 1:30am. ) I do know that the pilot I was with filed direct ICT from MKC and was instead given a fairly complex clearance including a DP - however once we were off we ended up being cleared direct fairly quickly anyhow.

My avatar photo is from that flight. I had two more opportunities to fly with him - one time I was out of town, the other I accidentally turned my phone off when I went to bed. A friend of mine got to make both of those flights instead of me.
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Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, and if anyone else has done this type of flying- tips and tricks are welcomed.
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

You're right, medical flights do give you a certain sense of satisfaction from being able to help. I've done mostly people and occasionally organs.

I think ATC is used to the more routine kinds of Lifeguard flights where you don't want too much delay but the patient is stable so you don't need to go direct as fast as possible. However, if you do ever get into a very time-critical situation, let ATC know and they will help you out.

The only other think I might add is don't try to be a hero and do something unsafe or illegal. Also try not to rush so much that you miss things. This goes for all flying, but sometimes both internal and external pressures can be more difficult to deal with in an air ambulance situation.

My strangest organ transport was when the cooler arrived at the airport in a taxi, accompanied by no one. I don't think the cab driver knew what he had there.
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Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

You'd be surprised at what doctors get used to. Anyone who has experienced a childbirth knows how messy those get. My sister will deliver the baby, clean up, congratulate the family, and then go grab some chow.

I'd be too queasy to eat for hours.

But on the other hand, when she went up with me and I showed her steep turns.....
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

I see human eyes in a box on a daily basis. Mostly going between MCO and MCI for some reason. I loaded a large cylinder on a flight to MHT the other day. It had biohazard labels and a big "perishable" sticker on it. So, I looked at the label to see what it was. When I saw that it was a 10 lb container of horse semen, I kinda wished I hadn't been so curious....
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

[ QUOTE ]
I loaded a large cylinder on a flight to MHT the other day. It had biohazard labels and a big "perishable" sticker on it. So, I looked at the label to see what it was. When I saw that it was a 10 lb container of horse semen, I kinda wished I hadn't been so curious....

[/ QUOTE ]

That was one heck of a load, huh?
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Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

Kellwolf - you'd be surprised at how often equine semen is shipped. When breeding horses, it is the way you breed a mare to a stallion that is clear across the country. It allows breeding good mares to quality stallions without going through the risk and expense of shipping horses around.
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I've been at the airport to pick up the coveted "Equitainer" before myself...
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Funny you mention the eyeballs going between MCO and MCI. I'll have to ask Matt if he's ever run across any of them.

Sarah
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

[ QUOTE ]
....Funny you mention the eyeballs going between MCO and MCI. I'll have to ask Matt if he's ever run across any of them.


[/ QUOTE ]
Not good to run across eyeball containers. Squish, you know.
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Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

[ QUOTE ]
Not good to run across eyeball containers. Squish, you know.
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[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but you can't say that the containers didn't see it coming.
 
Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

[ QUOTE ]
Not good to run across eyeball containers. Squish, you know.



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Yeah, but you can't say that the containers didn't see it coming.


[/ QUOTE ]

GROAN.

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Re: First \"Lifeguard\" Flight

[ QUOTE ]
You'd be surprised at what doctors get used to. Anyone who has experienced a childbirth knows how messy those get. My sister will deliver the baby, clean up, congratulate the family, and then go grab some chow.

I'd be too queasy to eat for hours.

But on the other hand, when she went up with me and I showed her steep turns.....

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't that funny how some things can bother people and other things don't? I could eat an entire Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of a series of steep turns, but after seeing my daughter born I don't think I ate for a day or so...
 
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