RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Complete with realistic accident victims and help from the local emergency medical services, Baptist Health MedFlight, the healthcare systems’ air ambulance, will be conducting its Prom Night educational program at Russellville High School this Thursday, April 2, at 9 a.m. The helicopter will land on the high school parking lot at 2303 S. Knoxville Ave.
Provided as a community service, a mock accident scene is created to show the consequences of drinking and driving by depicting a car wreck involving teenagers in a fatality accident with injuries. The program takes the students step-by-step through the events as it would take place in real life including the call as it comes through 911, the patients being transported for medical care, the drunken person being handcuffed and placed in custody to the deceased being transported away by the coroner. The program’s objective is to keep kids from drinking and driving.
In addition to Prom Night events, Baptist Health MedFlight makes more than 490 transports annually from across the state. Operating for more than 30years, MedFlight is equipped with life support systems and staffed by emergency medical care professionals who work to stabilize and treat patients during transport. In fact, Baptist Health is the only healthcare system to provide a special neonatal intensive care team on flights for high-risk mothers-to-be and critically ill infants. MedFlight was also the first air ambulance transportation service in Arkansas to obtain approval to perform Rapid Sequence Intubation in the field and the only Arkansas-based aeromedical service to transport Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumps.
MedFlight also conducts Landing Zone classes taught by the transport crew/flight coordinators to educate emergency medical services staff on how to set up a helicopter landing site at the scene of an accident. This training provides first responders continuing education credits they are required to earn each year.
Baptist Health is the state’s most comprehensive healthcare system. With more than 175 points of access, including eight hospitals, Baptist Health is committed to delivering “All Our Best” in healthcare to the people of Arkansas. For more information about the MedFlight, call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTIST.