Calstar
Encyclopedia
CALSTAR is a nonprofit regional air ambulance
company serving California and northern Nevada. It is currently the largest nonprofit air ambulance provider on the West Coast.
. In its first year, CALSTAR flew 235 patients.
By 2010, CALSTAR’s operations had grown to ten helicopter EMS bases located throughout Northern and Central California and a fixed wing program providing inter-facility transport services from the company’s headquarters at McClellan Park (formerly McClellan Air Force Base
) in Sacramento, California
.
Since its inception, CALSTAR has provided air medical transport services to more than 45,000 critically ill and injured patients, and has logged over 60,000 accident-free flight hours.
(FAA) Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate and Part 145 Repair Station, and is directly responsible for all aspects of its flight operations and aircraft maintenance.
CALSTAR operates a fleet of Eurocopter MBB BO-105, Bell 222
, Agusta 109 and MD 902
Explorer helicopters. All aircraft are modified with special medical interiors, high skid gear, high intensity search lights and more than 20,000 radio frequencies for in-flight communications. CALSTAR also utilizes Cessna 421
airplanes for long-range inter-facility transports.
(ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support
(PALS) certifications.
CALSTAR flight nurses deliver care under the medical control provided by CALSTAR's medical director, in accordance with the California Nurse's Practice Act of 1974 as well as specific company procedures and protocols. All medical care provided by CALSTAR comes under close scrutiny from the organization's quality assurance/quality improvement program, which is protected under Section 1157.5 of the California Evidence Code.
Since 2001, CALSTAR has been fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), which acknowledges excellence in patient care, safety and education. Accreditation must be maintained through rigorous evaluation every three years.
250-C30P model engines, an enhancement designed to improve safety while significantly reducing emissions and operating costs. The FAA granted CALSTAR a Supplemental Type Certificate
(STC) approving the engine retrofit for the entire BO-105 LS fleet nationwide.
CALSTAR worked closely on the project with Rolls-Royce as well as the late Steve Fossett
. Fossett, a famed businessman and adventurer, had selected the BO-105 LS for an endurance record he was hoping to set. He was so interested in the C30P engine upgrade that he lent CALSTAR his personal aircraft to conduct all of the required flight testing. The retrofitted BO-105 LS was later nicknamed the “Fossett Special.”
CALSTAR also received FAA approval in 2009 for the first three helicopter Wide Area Augmentation System
(WAAS) GPS approach procedures in the world. The WAAS procedures were developed by Hickok & Associates, who have since implemented additional helicopter WAAS approaches for air medical providers throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
company serving California and northern Nevada. It is currently the largest nonprofit air ambulance provider on the West Coast.
History
CALSTAR was founded as a nonprofit public benefit corporation in 1983, and began flight operations the following year using a leased BK 117 helicopter based at Peninsula Hospital in San Mateo, CaliforniaSan Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
. In its first year, CALSTAR flew 235 patients.
By 2010, CALSTAR’s operations had grown to ten helicopter EMS bases located throughout Northern and Central California and a fixed wing program providing inter-facility transport services from the company’s headquarters at McClellan Park (formerly McClellan Air Force Base
McClellan Air Force Base
McClellan Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in the North Highlands area of Sacramento County, northeast of Sacramento, California...
) in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
.
Since its inception, CALSTAR has provided air medical transport services to more than 45,000 critically ill and injured patients, and has logged over 60,000 accident-free flight hours.
Flight Operations
All CALSTAR pilots have a minimum of 3,000 hours of pilot-in-command flight time. CALSTAR operates under its own Federal Aviation AdministrationFederal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
(FAA) Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate and Part 145 Repair Station, and is directly responsible for all aspects of its flight operations and aircraft maintenance.
CALSTAR operates a fleet of Eurocopter MBB BO-105, Bell 222
Bell 222
The Bell 222 is a twin-engined light helicopter built by Bell Helicopter. The Bell 230 is an improved development with different engines and other minor changes. A cosmetically modified version of the 222 was used as the titular aircraft in the US television series Airwolf.-Development:In the late...
, Agusta 109 and MD 902
MD Helicopters MD Explorer
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0 7106 2537 5.-External links:* *...
Explorer helicopters. All aircraft are modified with special medical interiors, high skid gear, high intensity search lights and more than 20,000 radio frequencies for in-flight communications. CALSTAR also utilizes Cessna 421
Cessna 421
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Taylor, John W.R. . Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0-354-00538-3....
airplanes for long-range inter-facility transports.
Medical Operations
Each CALSTAR flight crew is staffed with two registered nurses. CALSTAR flight nurses must achieve and maintain Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN), Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), Advanced Cardiac Life SupportAdvanced cardiac life support
Advanced cardiac life support or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support refers to a set of clinical interventions for the urgent treatment of cardiac arrest and other life threatening medical emergencies, as well as the knowledge and skills to deploy those interventions.Extensive medical knowledge...
(ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support
Pediatric Advanced Life Support
Pediatric Advanced Life Support is a 2 day American Heart Association training program. The goal of the course is to aid the pediatric healthcare provider in developing the knowledge and skills necessary to efficiently and effectively manage critically ill infants and children, resulting in...
(PALS) certifications.
CALSTAR flight nurses deliver care under the medical control provided by CALSTAR's medical director, in accordance with the California Nurse's Practice Act of 1974 as well as specific company procedures and protocols. All medical care provided by CALSTAR comes under close scrutiny from the organization's quality assurance/quality improvement program, which is protected under Section 1157.5 of the California Evidence Code.
Since 2001, CALSTAR has been fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), which acknowledges excellence in patient care, safety and education. Accreditation must be maintained through rigorous evaluation every three years.
Accomplishments
In 2009, CALSTAR completed a six-year project to retrofit its fleet of Eurocopter BO-105 LS aircraft with upgraded Rolls-RoyceRolls-Royce plc
Rolls-Royce Group plc is a global power systems company headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second-largest maker of aircraft engines , and also has major businesses in the marine propulsion and energy sectors. Through its defence-related activities...
250-C30P model engines, an enhancement designed to improve safety while significantly reducing emissions and operating costs. The FAA granted CALSTAR a Supplemental Type Certificate
Supplemental Type Certificate
A Supplemental Type Certificate is an FAA approved major modification or repair to an existing type certified aircraft, engine or propeller. As it adds to the existing type certificate, it is deemed 'supplemental'.-Purpose:...
(STC) approving the engine retrofit for the entire BO-105 LS fleet nationwide.
CALSTAR worked closely on the project with Rolls-Royce as well as the late Steve Fossett
Steve Fossett
James Stephen Fossett was an American commodities trader, businessman, and adventurer. Fossett is the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon...
. Fossett, a famed businessman and adventurer, had selected the BO-105 LS for an endurance record he was hoping to set. He was so interested in the C30P engine upgrade that he lent CALSTAR his personal aircraft to conduct all of the required flight testing. The retrofitted BO-105 LS was later nicknamed the “Fossett Special.”
CALSTAR also received FAA approval in 2009 for the first three helicopter Wide Area Augmentation System
Wide Area Augmentation System
The Wide Area Augmentation System is an air navigation aid developed by the Federal Aviation Administration to augment the Global Positioning System , with the goal of improving its accuracy, integrity, and availability...
(WAAS) GPS approach procedures in the world. The WAAS procedures were developed by Hickok & Associates, who have since implemented additional helicopter WAAS approaches for air medical providers throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
See also
- MEDEVACMEDEVACMedical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
- Golden hour (medicine)Golden hour (medicine)In emergency medicine, the golden hour refers to a time period lasting from a few minutes to several hours following traumatic injury being sustained by a casualty, during which there is the highest likelihood that prompt medical treatment will prevent death...
- Emergency medical servicesEmergency medical servicesEmergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
- California Emergency Medical Services AuthorityCalifornia Emergency Medical Services AuthorityThe California Emergency Medical Services Authority is an agency of California State government. The California EMS Authority is one of the thirteen departments within the California Health and Human Services Agency. The director is required to be a physician with substantial experience in...