AirCARE1 received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recognition of an accepted Safety Management System (SMS) Program earlier this year establishing their formal alignment with international safety standards. While the United States does not yet have a mandated Safety Management System for Part 135 Operators, the FAA recognizes those organizations who have voluntarily made the effort to implement an accepted program. An FAA-accepted Safety Management System is also recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization. AirCARE1 is among roughly 5% of Part 135 Operators who currently have an FAA-accepted SMS program.
AirCARE1’s existence originated from the need for higher safety standards in the Air Ambulance industry. Therefore, AirCARE1 has made safety risk management a cornerstone of the company’s values and is foundational to their everyday culture. To demonstrate their commitment to safety risk management, AirCARE1 chose to implement a voluntary Safety Management System program (SMSVP) that could be recognized by a state authority.
AirCARE1 is committed to providing patients with superior care and they believe that the primary factor to ensuring superior care is providing a safe environment for patients, their family members, and AirCARE1 employees.
A Safety Management System (SMS) is a formal, systematic and proactive approach to managing safety risk. It’s a structured process implemented across an organization that includes four main components including policy, risk management, assurance, and promotion. To be accepted by the FAA, AirCARE1 (a Part 135 Operator) went through a 16-month evaluation period of their safety practices. During this period AirCARE1 defined their safety objectives and the accountability and responsibilities of their employees in regard to safety risk management. They controlled safety risks by identifying hazards and analyzing risk factors to make improvements to flight operations. They ensured the effectiveness of safety risk controls through consistent data collection and analysis. Finally, AirCARE1 demonstrated how staff are trained in safety risk management and invited to openly communicate safety concerns to support the safety culture within the company.
AirCARE1’s Safety Management System (SMS) is integral to Risk Management in the Air Ambulance setting. Risk in aviation cannot be eliminated, but it can be managed through strict safety policy and procedures to minimize the severity of consequences as well as likelihood of an adverse event occurring.
There are many benefits for AirCARE1, and the patients they transport, in aligning their SMS with the FAAs Safety Management System Voluntary Program (SMSVP). Most importantly, the main goal is to foster the safety culture within the company and support a proactive approach to identifying and addressing problems before they occur. For patients, AirCARE1’s commitment to safety risk management provides an extra level of comfort and peace of mind, giving them increased confidence that the company operates to the highest safety standards. Finally, FAA recognition allows AirCARE1 to recruit high-caliber staff members who are equally dedicated to contributing to the company’s safety culture and provide their patients with superior care.
AirCARE1 is an Air Ambulance and Medical Escort service provider with a fleet of Learjet air ambulance aircraft based out of Deer Valley Airport-Phoenix area, AZ. They provide air medical transport to patients across North, South and Central America. The company’s vision takes a different approach to medical air transport. This approach is founded on the belief that providing the highest level of medical attention, combined with compassion and a holistic approach to care will transform the flight experience for their patients. The vision and approach taken by AirCARE1 provides an important sense of comfort and well-being for patients and their family members throughout the medical transportation process.
AirCARE1 is built on the mission of doing right by our patients, we offer fair and realistic prices without sacrificing quality. Denise Waye, a critical care nurse, founded AirCARE1 after seeing the pitfalls of this industry. She wanted to give patients a better solution, and eliminating price gouging is just one of the ways we reach that goal. Tell us about your situation to get an honest quote on air ambulance transport today!
Source:
https://www.faa.gov/faa-aviation-safety-outreach/safety-management-system
https://www.airambulanceone.com/safety-management/