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March
1, 2010
Air Methods Achieves Safety Milestone with FAA
Air
Methods Kentucky’s parent corporation, Air Methods, recently met a
noteworthy safety milestone when informed by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) that it successfully exited Level 1 Safety Management
System (SMS) status and is currently working toward achieving Level 2 SMS
status.
Air
Methods believes it is currently the only helicopter air medical operator
to participate in the FAA’s SMS voluntary implementation program, and
one of only six commercial air operators (including Part 121 major
commercial
U.S.
airlines) in the nation to earn an SMS status acknowledgement letter. To
date, there are 68 commercial air operators nationwide enrolled in the FAA
SMS program.
“Air
Methods is extremely proud to have successfully earned this status and to
pioneer the FAA’s SMS program in the air medical industry,” stated
Paul Tate, Chief Operating Officer. “This
is a unique acknowledgement from the FAA that Air Methods possesses many
of the systems and programs critical in a successful SMS. This is a
defining moment for us and the industry and we will continue to work
diligently to pursue the highest SMS level.”
Air
Methods’ SMS is a result of the voluntary 2006 FAA Advisory Circular
120-92 that encouraged commercial air operators to embrace a fully
comprehensive SMS. The FAA SMS follows the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) standard as a quality management approach to
controlling risk by providing the organizational framework to support a
sound safety culture. It also provides the company’s management with a
detailed roadmap for monitoring safety-related processes.
In
2008, Air Methods entered the FAA SMS voluntary implementation program,
which is overseen and evaluated directly by the FAA. The intent of the
“Level Status” is to allow aviation service providers to implement an
SMS in a standardized manner and to allow recognition of each level of
accomplishment. The “Level Status” is part of the SMS maturity model
which includes five phases: Level 0: Orientation & Commitment; Level
1: Planning and Organization; Level 2: Reactive Processes; Level 3:
Proactive Processes; and Level 4: Continuous Improvement.
In
2009, Air Methods established several FAA voluntary safety programs and
SMS initiatives, including an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) and
Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) program. Both programs allow for
greater communications from field operations and earlier identification of
areas of concerns so resources and attention can be devoted on a proactive
basis.
___________________________
About
Air Methods Kentucky
Air
Methods Kentucky is a full-service air medical transport system covering
Kentucky and southern Indiana.
Founded in 1982 as the first civilian air medical program in Kentucky,
in 1995 it became the first air medical program in the state to earn
CAMTS (Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems)
accreditation. It operates 10 helicopter ambulances and one
fixed wing ambulance throughout its region, with state offices
headquartered in Lexington. With a mission of safety, quality, and
integrity, Air Methods Kentucky is committed to providing its patients
and medical and emergency service partners with a high level of care and
professionalism. For more information about Air Methods Kentucky,
visit http://www.airmethodsky.com.
About
Air Methods Corporation
Air
Methods Kentucky is owned by Air Methods Corporation (NASDAQ:
AIRM),
the nation’s largest
provider of air medical emergency transport services and systems. The company is dedicated exclusively to air medical transport,
focusing on the quality of care to patients, and safety in
aviation operations. With 27 years of experience, the company transports more than
84,000 patients annually who require intensive medical care from
either the scene of an accident or general care hospitals to
highly skilled trauma centers or tertiary care centers. For
more information about Air Methods Corporation, visit http://www.airmethods.com.
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