Lessons Learned in Helicopter Operations During a Large Multiagency Disaster Prevention Drill in Japan

Use of a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service Hangar as a Staging Care Unit in a Disaster-Affected Area

OBJECTIVE

There are a few reports regarding the use of a hangar as a temporal medical facility (staging care unit [SCU]) during large-scale disasters. The aim of this study was to describe the activities performed by disaster medical assistance teams (DMATs) at the hangar of the eastern Shizuoka physician-staffed helicopter as an SCU in the 2022 Shizuoka Prefecture disaster drill.

METHODS

We selected the narrative method for this study.

RESULTS

Four DMATs helped manage the SCU at the hangar. During the training period, there were 3 instances of a mock doctor helicopter landing and takeoff and 1 actual eastern Shizuoka doctor helicopter landing and takeoff while transporting a mock burn patient. Four DMATs treated 3 mock patients in addition to receiving training regarding medical materials. Such an SCU was able to reduce the burden on the disaster base hospital because many severely ill or traumatized mock patients were transported to the hospital. However, an evaluation meeting held after the drill revealed problems with lifelines, safety management, stock, and quality management of materials in an actual disaster situation.

CONCLUSION

We reported our experience with a training exercise using a hangar of the eastern Shizuoka doctor helicopter as an SCU in the 2022 Shizuoka Prefecture disaster drill. There are advantages and disadvantages to using the hangar of a doctor helicopter in this way, so further investigation will be necessary.

A Report Concerning Collaboration Between a Physician-Staffed Helicopter (Doctor Helicopter) and Police Helicopter

A 35-year-old man injured his right foot by slipping down 200 m into a crater on top of Mount Fuji, where some snow still remained. The next day the patient climbed up from the crater with his friend's assistance and began to descend the mountain; he met the Shizuoka police mountain distress rescue team at the 9th station. The Shizuoka police mountain distress rescue team transported the patient on foot to the snowless 7th station. The Shizuoka police aviation unit, flying a helicopter, then collected the patient. They transported the patient to the nearby Fujinomiya fire department station. The eastern Shizuoka physician-staffed helicopter emergency medical service landed there, and the patient was transported to Juntendo Shizuoka Hospital. On arrival, he had stable vital signs, but his right foot showed a dislocated fracture with frostbite. This is the first case report of collaboration between a helicopter emergency medical service and a police helicopter to rescue a victim from Mount Fuji. When managing victims in high-altitude settings, such as Mount Fuji, collaboration between multiple organizations is necessary.

Clinical Investigation of Burn Patients Transported by Helicopter Based on the Japan Trauma Data Bank

OBJECTIVE

We retrospectively investigated the actual conditions of burn patients evacuated by helicopter in comparison to those evacuated by ground ambulance using the Japan Trauma Data Bank.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective analysis of the data recorded in the Japan Trauma Data Bank between January 2004 and May 2019. After propensity score matching for the method of transportation, the survival rate was compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

During the investigation period, there were 4,627 burn patients (helicopter group, n = 276; ambulance group, n = 4,351). After propensity score matching, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in any of the assessed variables, and the survival rate did not differ to a statistically significant extent.

CONCLUSION

After propensity score matching, the survival rate of the helicopter group did not appear to be superior to the ambulance group. Further prospective studies are needed to explore the proper indications for air transportation of burn patients, which could potentially improve outcomes.