Air medical evacuation and surveillance system. Presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board, Washington, January 1974.

The helicopter and trained paramedics operating in the rural areas of Arizona in 1969 and 1970 in a multidimensional role as an airborne force to provide definitive treatment and reduce patient transport time for highway accidents (the evacuation mission) and as a deterrent force to reduce traffic accident potential (the highway surveillance mission) were demonstrated and evaluated. When they were used in patrol and surveillance operations, there was a statistically significant reduction in driver behavior characteristics that are accident-related. The helicopter must be evaluated with regard to its total operating capability of performing medical evacuation, patrol and surveillance, and general law enforcement. It cannot be economically justified when used to perform only 1 type of mission.