STAT MedEvac Staff

A little more than 3 years ago, Gabe Diamond was working as a ground paramedic for the City of Pittsburgh EMS. He worked in an ER, as well as a few suburban EMS agencies, trying to learn more and build his experience at each place.

Fueled by the passion for a challenge, he applied to work for STAT MedEvac and was hired as a full-time flight paramedic. More pharmacology, interfacility patients, and helicopter operations were all part of the training with his mentor and preceptor, Joyce Fee.

He anticipated that making the change from ground medicine to air medicine would be difficult. The transition of working inside the confined space of an aircraft, vs. inside a more spacious ground ambulance, turned out to be more challenging than the clinical side.

As he got more comfortable, he realized how he might be able to streamline part of the job.  From pharmacology calculations to burn […]

On this episode, Greg Winkle, Fixed Base Manager, talks about the strict maintenance regimen of the fleet, why they have a mixed fleet of aircraft and the relationship between the flight crews, pilots and mechanical staff.

Currently, STAT MedEvac has eighteen helicopter base sites in operation daily. These locations include Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, western New York, Washington, DC, and Baltimore. We transport about 10,000 patients annually, and to operate effectively, we utilize twenty-five helicopters. Our fleet includes all Airbus helicopters: EC-135T2+ and EC135T3 (commonly known as the H135) and the BK117C-2 (commonly known as EC-145.

These aircraft are all twin engine models and feature a computer system that can help reduce the workload on the pilot. From startup to shutdown, this system provides optimized performance, safety, and fuel efficiency.

Our helicopters have a maximum cruise speed of 120 knots, which is approximately 138 miles per hour. This varies depending on altitude, temperature, humidity, load, and the winds aloft. Most flights are conducted at an altitude of 2000 feet above ground level (AGL), but the helicopters have the ability to fly […]

Tami Carver, Manager, Operations Control Center at STAT MedEvac, walks us through what an Operations Control Center does and why does STAT MedEvac have this component in their operation.

Doing the right thing with Senior Professional Flight Nurse II Mike Schreyer

Meet Mike Schreyer, RN CFRN HP, who is one of STAT MedEvac’s longest-tenured flight crew members. He is a Senior Professional Flight Nurse II based out of Greensburg, PA. Get to know Schreyer through the following Q&A STAT MedEvac spotlight:

How long have you been with STAT MedEvac?

I started work as an ICU and ER nurse and flew for a competing program out of Johnstown, PA. I transferred to Altoona Regional, at the time, to help start their trauma program as the director of pre-hospital care working through the ER. I was also instrumental in bringing STAT MedEvac to Altoona, starting the aircraft base there in 2001. “It’s been a long time.”

How did you get to a senior level?

Time, ongoing education, and experience, but completing projects and following through with […]

Greg Tutsock, Director of STAT MedEvac Communications, Donna Dugan, Communications Supervisor and John Kuchma, Communications Specialist, explain the various roles within the STAT MedEvac Communications Center and the day-to-day operations.

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