NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
Beginning in 2014, a new regulation will go into effect that will require all medical helicopters to be equipped with air conditioning.
Nashville's News 2 Investigates spoke with officials at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Thursday who said they currently have six helicopters with air conditioning.
"Like cars, helicopters need to be air conditioned for people to be comfortable, whether that is the pilot or the crew or the patient," Dr. Corey Slovis, Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine.
He continued, "As it gets warmer on the ground, it gets warmer in the air. We worry about profusion, the hotter you are the more you sweat and lose fluids and the more likely you are to get dehydrated and hypotension is our enemy."
According to Life Flight pilot Jerry Jones, the average emergency flight is typically 25 to 30 minutes and that in extremely hot conditions that can cause dangers to patients.
"When you are dehydrated and can't sweat, you get heat stroke," he explained.
Jones told Nashville's News 2 Investigates other air ambulance companies will have to either buy new helicopters with air conditioning or retro fit current choppers, which comes at a great and new weight concerns.
Julie Hearvin represents Air Evac Lifeteam, which is one of the largest air ambulance company's in the nation.
According to Hearvin, the company operates a total of 10 medical helicopters in Tennessee.
Of those helicopters five are in compliance, while the remaining air devices will have to be brought up to compliance by 2014.
"We are in favor of this rule. We had a representative on the board who voted in favor of it. We will have full compliance by 2014. It will not be an issue," Hearvin said.
Those helicopters that are not in compliance will be forced to be grounded.
