Flight/HEMS

Carlos Danger

Forum Deputy Chief
Premium Member
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So what is everyone's policy on facial hair? I was pretty bummed about shaving my beard for the N95 fit test, since PAPR is not an option like in the hospital. Are you expected to be clean shaven or can you have a neat kept beard?

Not since my first job in EMS in the mid-1990's have I had an employer (or a clinical site, when I was in CRNA school) that required me to be clean shaven.

That's 3 HEMS programs, 4 EMS agencies, and probably 20 hospitals (that I've either worked for or trained at) that allowed facial hair.
 

TransportJockey

Forum Chief
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As long as i dont look like a bum, I'm good. This makes the third job in a row (one fixed wing, one hybrid ground/fixed wing, and now ground) that allows facial hair. I have a full beard right now

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VFlutter

Flight Nurse
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As long as i dont look like a bum, I'm good. This makes the third job in a row (one fixed wing, one hybrid ground/fixed wing, and now ground) that allows facial hair. I have a full beard right now

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

What do you do for N95 Isolation? I would think it rarely happens
 

TransportJockey

Forum Chief
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Papr or the the duck bill masks, i can pass a seal with either

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SandpitMedic

Crowd pleaser
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I think it is awesome there are a few of us members going to AirMethods orientation together. Small world.
Who is going to Denver?
 

VFlutter

Flight Nurse
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Who is going to Denver?

I will be there the first week of October. Another member was supposed to go the same time but got delayed. I think some one else mentioned they will going there as well but I can't remember who.
 

StCEMT

Forum Deputy Chief
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As long as i dont look like a bum, I'm good. This makes the third job in a row (one fixed wing, one hybrid ground/fixed wing, and now ground) that allows facial hair. I have a full beard right now

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
I am just a little bit jealous....actually a lot.
 

8jimi8

CFRN
1,792
9
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Talking to guys who have been in our program for awhile that have been in both Long Rangers and our current A-Star the A-Star is quite a bit smaller.
The astar has way more patient accessibility. The center-post rear of the pilot in a 407
takes up any extra "room" you might have with an equipment heavy patient "e.g. balloon pump, vented"
 

chrls

Forum Crew Member
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50
18
The astar has way more patient accessibility. The center-post rear of the pilot in a 407
takes up any extra "room" you might have with an equipment heavy patient "e.g. balloon pump, vented"

I guess we don't quite have that problem and don't have the related viewpoint. I'm part of the state police out here in CA and fly as a single paramedic. We operate as a kind of auxiliary air transport/S&R out here and specifically don't do IFTs so no vents/pumps. From what I've heard for what we do our older helicopters had more room. I've only been around for our A-Stars so my personal experience is limited.
 

8jimi8

CFRN
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A balloon pump in an AS350be is no pony ride either.
 

VFlutter

Flight Nurse
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IABP isn't horrible in a 407. Much more room in a BK tho.
 

8jimi8

CFRN
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VFlutter

Flight Nurse
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Depending on where you mount it.

The mount replaces the far right two seats. One person sits directly behind the patient in the airway seat and the other in the aft seat.
 

8jimi8

CFRN
1,792
9
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The mount replaces the far right two seats. One person sits directly behind the patient in the airway seat and the other in the aft seat.
Yeah we had ours on floor rails with a helmet on there way now way to get between the monitor and the center post
 

VFlutter

Flight Nurse
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Anyone purchase their own helmet? I do not like the Gentex knock-offs we have and not sure about spending money on upgrades to a helmet that isn't mine. At least they upgraded the ear cups that could potentially cause skull fractures with side impact :rolleyes:. We have an extra Alpha Eagle at the base from a previous pilot and it is pretty awesome. Crazy light and very comfortable. Found a few lightly used ones I may try to purchase.
 

Old Tracker

Forum Asst. Chief
503
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As long as i dont look like a bum, I'm good. This makes the third job in a row (one fixed wing, one hybrid ground/fixed wing, and now ground) that allows facial hair. I have a full beard right now

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

Trigger alert. I feel threatened.:rolleyes: You guys are facial hair shaming us who can't grow a decent beard for beans. I do have a pretty good 'stache though.:cool:
 

chrls

Forum Crew Member
56
50
18
Anyone purchase their own helmet? I do not like the Gentex knock-offs we have and not sure about spending money on upgrades to a helmet that isn't mine. At least they upgraded the ear cups that could potentially cause skull fractures with side impact :rolleyes:. We have an extra Alpha Eagle at the base from a previous pilot and it is pretty awesome. Crazy light and very comfortable. Found a few lightly used ones I may try to purchase.

The eagle is what I have issued at work and I like it over what we had previously. Mine has CEP which I prefer over ANR if you have the choice. I can wear it for hours on end in flight, on the ground, through hoists, and take it off when we land later and it has never given me trouble comfort wise.

One thing to look out for is if your program has goggles. My alpha came with a weird mount and hardware to convert the standard anvis 9 four pin connector to the "eagle" mount (I don't know what it's actually called). It was easy to install but I was not be able to to attach goggles until I modified one of the anvis brackets.
 
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VentMonkey

VentMonkey

Family Guy
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Our company just bought the med crews the MSA Gallet helmets; we're still phasing them in, but I like mine. Our vendor supplies their pilots with helmets. @Chase it's most likely whatever brand Air Methods purchases.
 

CANMAN

Forum Asst. Chief
805
425
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Had Gentex HGU56 and loved it, new program I have a Gallet 250 and can't stand it, although it is certainly lighter. Noise attenuation sucks. Crash testing wise the MSA's also don't stand up against the Gentex. Half the parts are cheap plastic, and the helmets are crazy overpriced in my opinion. I have also submitted a request to purchase my own helmet. Will be getting another Gentex HGU if it gets approved with CEP.
 
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