Health First Trauma Team to Conduct Emergency Response Drill Monday with Brevard Fire/Rescue Units

BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA – It was an agonizing wail that pierced the silence.

“Oh my God! Help!” a distraught woman shrieked in between tears. “You’ve got to save him!”

The woman knelt on the pavement as first responders began arriving to the “incident,” which involved multiple people and cars.

The wreck traumatically damaged the man’s left leg and threatened to take his life.

Thankfully, it wasn’t real.

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) mock drill was a joint effort between Health First Trauma and Emergency Department teams, Palm Bay Fire Rescue, and the Malabar Fire Department. Coastal Ambulance Services and volunteers also participated in the Tuesday, April 1, mock trauma drill held on the grounds of Palm Bay Fire Station 5.

With multiple scenarios exercised, the drill was as close as possible to the real thing – a mass casualty emergency.

WATCH: From its new northern operation base at the Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville, Health First launched its second full-time air ambulance helicopter ‘First Flight 2 – officially doubling the air ambulance service coverage for Brevard County and northern Indian River County. 

“Time matters. Time is life.” The doubled air ambulance program will provide faster response and emergency care across Brevard County and Northern Indian River County.

We can put PowerPoints and slide shows and put a whole lot of people into a room and talk about it all day,” said John Ringleb, Assistant Fire Chief, Palm Bay Fire Rescue. “But actually being out there and putting rubber to road, the implementation of those physical hands-on skills – you can’t find that in any classroom environment.”

These first responders were able to put into action what they’ve been trained for, as well as how to work in tandem with partner agencies during the “golden hour.” That’s the critical 60 minutes following a traumatic situation. During that window of time, it’s essential a trauma victim receives surgery. It increases the chances of survival or can cut down the chances of long-term complications.

It’s these first responders who play that essential role in removing, stabilizing and transporting victims to a trauma center hospital for surgery.

Now, these several dozen first responders have experienced what a traumatic incident can look and feel like.

Without the casualties.

There were overturned vehicles. Multiple medical scenarios. And the arrival and utilization of one of Health First’s air ambulances, First Flight.

The live action simulation provided EMS and trauma care providers an opportunity to review their own protocols and offer feedback on their performance during such a high stress, life-or-death event. Exercises like mock drills strengthen the response of Brevard County medics, their leaders, and hospital physicians. Here, simulations provide an opportunity to reflect on and assess the emergency responses, pre-hospital intervention and trauma care in Brevard.

The collaboration also fosters positive relationships between first responders and trauma caregivers. Health First’s Larissa Dudley, a Health First emergency physician and Medical Director of First Flight, helped to lead the cause for first responders.

“It gives them great insight that they would otherwise not receive,” Dudley said. “This is just such an excellent opportunity for the municipal first response agencies to collaborate together to make sure that the care they provide, the equipment that they handle, the communication that they are involved with, is top notch,” said Dudley. “When patients within the municipalities call 9-1-1, they’re getting these first response agencies who can provide BLS (basic life support) or ALS (Advanced Life Support) care.”

Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne is the only Level II trauma center in Brevard. It offers 24/7 trauma care, including rapid transport by First Flight, Brevard County’s only air ambulance service. Palm Bay Fire Rescue, the Malabar Fire Department and Health First’s Trauma team members and emergency department clinicians worked in tandem during the mock training event.

“I’m just so proud to be the Medical Director of these agencies,” Dudley said. “Their dedication to doing the right thing is just exemplified. It really is. Between First Flight, Malabar and Palm Bay, everyone coming out today to spend the time, to use the personnel, to use their supplies, to really do the right thing for the community, it’s just, it’s wonderful.”

In partnership with Metro Aviation, First Flight benefits from 43 years of expertise in medical aviation operations. Health First and Metro Aviation have been working together for over 33 years, combining efforts to provide seamless and life-saving air medical services.

First Flight now operates out of two strategic bases of operations: one in Melbourne at the Melbourne Orlando International Airport – and the new base addition in Titusville, enabling the air teams to effectively support a wide range of emergencies, including Trauma, Cardiac, Stroke, and other acute medical conditions.

First Flight has served as the primary helicopter ambulance service for Brevard County and northern Indian River County for over 35 years, responding to multiple calls each day. As the number of calls increases, Health First is also doubling its air fleet to meet the anticipated growth of emergency and trauma needs.

Holmes Regional Medical Center is the area’s only Level II Trauma Center. Along with traumatic injuries, including falls, recreational, motor vehicle, and boating accidents, First Flight also transports cardiac and stroke patients for specialized emergent care to the area’s only Joint Commissioned-certified Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center and world-class Heart Center at Holmes Regional Medical Center.

“With four hospitals, including the region’s only Level II Trauma Center, Health First is proud and honored to serve Brevard County and surrounding areas with our First Flight air ambulance program,” said Health First President and CEO Terry Forde in December.

“We know that in a traumatic event – from vehicle or boating accidents to stroke, recreational or work-related injury – more than anything, time matters! The ‘golden hour’ – that ability to quickly respond, treat, and transport patients to lifesaving care – is absolutely critical to the outcome in traumatic situations. As Brevard County continues to grow, our ability to respond and care for our most vulnerable patients will grow with it. I’m excited about embarking on this next step to serve our community needs at the highest level,” Forde continued.

First Flight can transport a patient from the north end of the county as far as Mims to Holmes Regional Medical Center in approximately 25 minutes. Health First also partners with NASA and several private space companies, providing mutual aid support.

First Flight is licensed by the state of Florida to provide a variety of life-saving medical services and community education programs, including:

■ Transportation of adult and pediatric trauma and medical patients
■ Specialized transport of cardiac patients needing intra-aortic balloon pump therapy, Impella and transvenous pacemaker management
■ Specialized transport of high-risk maternity patients
■ Educational programs for community outreach and for other healthcare professionals
■ Injury prevention and safety programs

First Flight has been administering blood products to critical patients since 2002 and in 2022 is the first air ambulance in the region to administer whole blood products

The flight crew, with more than 250 years of combined experience, includes medical personnel with training in emergency and critical care medicine. Each registered nurse is also a state-certified paramedic. All flight crew members hold certifications in critical care or flight nursing, and the pilots all have extensive years of experience – with thousands of hours in completed medical missions.

First Flight’s Medical Directors are both Board Certified in Emergency Medicine.  Dr. Marty Brown is a pilot with extensive EMS background and Dr. Larissa Dudley is a Board-Certified EMS physician, having completed a Fellowship in Emergency Medical Services/Disaster Medicine.

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