EMS Pilot Association Marks 40th Anniversary

The National EMS Pilot Association (NEMSPA) is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.  

Founded in 1984, NEMSPA’s mission is to represent the approximately 3,000-4,000 air medical pilots flying in the United States, to ensure that their professional concerns and needs are being addressed by their employers, the industry, and government regulators. NEMSPA strives to improve the quality of air medical transport, patient care, aircraft integrity, and operational safety. 

“The fact that NEMSPA has reached its 40th anniversary proves that there's a need in the EMS industry for someone to look out for the needs and safety of air medical pilots, their medical crews, and their patients,” said NEMSPA President Brett Reeder, who flies full-time for Intermountain Life Flight in Utah. “As air medical pilots, it is our mission to take care of other people's needs, NEMSPA’s goal is to make sure someone is looking out of the pilots' needs as well.”

Spearheading Efforts to Support Pilots

Over the years, NEMSPA has tackled many issues that matter to air medical pilots. On the advocacy front, the association has consistently lobbied in support of pilots' rights and safety, as well as shaping industry regulations. When it comes to education, NEMSPA provides its members with access to comprehensive training and informational resources, to enhance their performance on and off the job. As well, NEMSPA fosters collaborative efforts with key stakeholders such as government agencies, healthcare providers, and industry partners, to advance the state of air medical transport and improve patient outcomes.

Past efforts spearheaded by NEMSPA include but are not limited to: 

• Development of Landing Zone safety protocol guidelines for scene operations, which the FAA adopted and is now included in the Aeronautical Information Manual.  

• Testimony in the 2009 NTSB HEMS Hearings, which included multiple recommendations for improving safety in the air medical transportation industry.  

• Collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to bring Night Vision Google technology into the cockpit of air medical helicopters. 

• Collaboration with the National Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and numerous stakeholders in the development of the HEMS Weather Tool.  

• Heliport safety education for hospitals, Part 135 certificate holders, and EMS helicopter pilots.  

• Lobbying to require Meteorological (MET) towers used in identifying potential sites for wind turbine farms to be lighted and marked as obstructions to flight.  

• Collaboration with leading sleep and fatigue expert Mark Rosekind, later NTSB Chairman, in the development of a whitepaper on air ambulance pilots' needs regarding fatigue concerns.

“We try to find out the weak points in the industry that need to be fixed,” Reeder explained. “To figure this out, we conduct surveys and talk to pilots and other associations to identify what their needs are, and then we work to address them.”

Current & Ongoing NEMSPA Initiatives

Currently NEMSPA is working on several initiatives to improve life for air medical pilots. They include teaching pilots how to better interpret weather data and camera footage provided by the FAA, enhancing their IFR flying skills, and improving crew management in the aircraft.

“We’re also addressing the current pilot shortage, to make sure that air medical companies are properly staffed with well-trained pilots,” said Reeder. “Our last project is pilot mental health — making sure that everybody is able to cope with the things that they're dealing with and having people to talk to about it.”

As for the next 40 years and beyond? NEMSPA intends to continue being a strong voice for air medical pilots by advocating for their interests, supporting their professional development, and promoting the highest standards of patient care on their aircraft. “Our goal is to stay on top of new technologies, emerging trends, and evolving challenges, as we keep working to ensure that air medical transport remains safe, efficient, and patient-centered,” Reeder said.