Boston MedFlight
Boston MedFlight (BMF) (incorporated as New England Life Flight)[1] is a non-profit organization that provides emergency scene response and emergency interfacility transfer in Eastern Massachusetts. BMF is headquartered at Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts with a second base at Plymouth Airport in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Overview
BMF operates one BK 117 C1, one EC-145[2] helicopter with another on order, one Sikorsky S-76 C++ twin engine helicopter, three critical care ambulances, with two spare ambulances, and a king air 200.[3]
BMF transports emergent patients regardless of their ability to pay and is financially supported in part by a six hospital consortium of the following:
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Boston Medical Center
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Children's Hospital Boston
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Tufts Medical Center[4]
BMF is a Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) accredited critical care transport service.[5] BMF was a founding member along with UMass LifeFlight and Hartford LifeStar of the New England Air Alliance, now known as the North East Air Alliance.[6]
History
- 1980- American College of Surgeons recommends development of a helicopter transport system for Massachusetts
- 1984- Boston MedFlight is created and a hospital consortium formed to develop helicopter service
- 1985- June 26 Boston MedFlight transports its first patient
- 1992- Second aircraft added to fleet and stationed at Plymouth, Massachusetts airport to expand service to southeastern Massachusetts, the Cape and the Islands.
- 1993- 5,000th patient transported
- 1995- North aircraft moved from South Boston to Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford.
- 1998- Ground critical care transport service developed in partnership with Armstrong Ambulance
- 1999- Fixed wing service developed in partnership with Eastern Air Charter
- 2002- 20,000th patient transported
- 2003- Independent licensure for ground critical care transport obtained and third helicopter added to fleet
- 2004- Second ground critical care transport vehicle added to Plymouth Base to work in conjunction with the helicopter
- 2006- Night vision goggle (NVG) capability in all helicopters
- 2008- State of the art medical simulation center begins at Bedford Base
- 2009- 40,000th patient transported
- 2010– 25 years of operation celebrated[7]
- February 23, 2011- Boston Medflight Nurses and Paramedics successfully organize with the Massachusetts Nursing Association.[8]
Citations
- ↑ http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N72EH
- ↑ http://www.verticalmag.com/news/article/Boston-MedFlight-orders-second-EC145-for-fleet-replacement#.UoBZwfltiTQ
- ↑ http://www.bostonmedflight.org/vehicle.html
- ↑ http://www.bostonmedflight.org/index.html
- ↑ http://www.camts.org/content/view/73/71/
- ↑ http://www.neaa.us/
- ↑ http://www.bostonmedflight.org/timeline.html
- ↑ https://www.massnurses.org/news-and-events/archive/2011/p/openItem/5903