Kimball hosts first case review/training

Last Tuesday was a first for Kimball area emergency personnel when they witnessed Regional West Medical Center's Air Link helicopter land in the old West Elementary playground.

The helicopter landed in what is now the Kimball Health Services North Campus yard as part of a landing zone training, though nothing was wrong with the normal landing zone, according to Kimball Ambulance Service Director Carla Goranson.

The landing zone training was led by Air Link's Chief Flight Nurse Tracy Meyer, and stemmed from communication difficulties during a call just months ago on Interstate 80 near Dix.

"There were two females and a child and the female driver was pregnant," Goranson said. "So Air Link came down and was hovering. We were talking to them but they could not hear us. So Air Link is there circling, waiting for someone to indicate 'Here is your landing zone'."

Goranson described the event as successful, though all the patients were transported to Kimball Health Services before the pregnant driver was transported to Regional West Medical Center via Air Link.

Due to the communication fluke, which has since been repaired, as well as the circumstances surrounding the victims, who are all doing well, Meyer thought the situation would make a good case study.

Generally case studies are done in Scottsbluff, allowing for just a few members from Kimball to attend as others must stay behind to cover the needs of the community.

Because this training was done in Kimball, emergency services, fire department and law enforcement from the entire region were able to participate as well as medical providers later in the evening.

"We had Potter Fire and Rescue, Dix Fire Department, Kimball Fire Department, Bushnell Fire Department, Kimball County Sheriff's Office, Kimball Police Department, Kimball Ambulance and Kimball Health Services," she said. "It was great to have people from all those departments."

The landing zone training included information about which patients can be transported via Air Link. Restrictions include anyone undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or those who exceed the weight or size restrictions.

"Pregnant women who are going to give birth any minute is not a good patient to have in a helicopter because when you load them their feet go up by the pilot in kind of a tunnel," Goranson added.

Training also included information on how to set up a landing zone, which is generally done by law enforcement or fire crews, depending on where it is needed and if traffic must be shut down or diverted.

"Air Link landed at about 6 p.m., so the class went out and loaded a patient onto their stretcher onto the helicopter," she said. "You got to know where to put your fingers and really where not to put your fingers."

Following the landing zone training, medical professionals joined the training and most of the fire fighters left, according to Goranson.

Dr. Kathryn Painter, who was in charge of the pregnant victim's care, flew in on Air Link and led a case review. The process revealed the causes, effects, what could be improved, and what went well. The case study begins with the call and the dispatch. The scene is analyzed, as is the transport, care received on all levels and the outcome.

In addition to faulty communication, the amount of snow on the day of the accident made the possibility of a landing zone in a field impossible, according to Goranson.

Additionally, shutting down interstate traffic, which is scary and difficult in the best of circumstances, was increasingly dangerous due to the amount of snow and blowing snow in the area.

"Their concern was that we weren't setting up a landing zone on scene for this pregnant lady. We didn't have any place to set it up," Goranson said. "The wash from the blades would have caused a white out condition. When you start shutting down interstate traffic, that is when accidents happen."

"Dr. Painter did a really good job of explaining trauma on a pregnant woman and what it does to each body system," Goranson said. "It was very educational."