Elsevier

Air Medical Journal

Volume 35, Issue 4, July–August 2016, Pages 216-226
Air Medical Journal

Original Research
Air Medical Evacuations From the German North Sea Wind Farm Bard Offshore 1: Traumatic Injuries, Acute Diseases, and Rescue Process Times (2011-2013)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amj.2016.02.002Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Trauma and internal medical cases were most abundant.

  • Trauma (contusions, lacerations, and cuts) involved mainly limbs (hand: one third) and the head.

  • Cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders comprised 9 of 10 of the internal medical cases.

  • The average total rescue time until arrival at the destination facility was 175.3 minutes.

  • Help time can be reduced from 90 to ≤ 60 minutes by streamlining rescue decision processes.

Abstract

Objective

Our purpose was 2-fold: 1) to show emergency-related traumatic injury and acute disease patterns and 2) to evaluate air rescue process times in a remotely located German offshore wind farm. Optimally, this will support methodologies to reduce offshore help time (time from the incoming emergency call until offshore arrival of the helicopter).

Methods

The type and severity of traumatic injuries and acute diseases were retrospectively analyzed for 39 air medevacs from August 2011 to December 2013, and the process times of air rescue missions were evaluated in detail.

Results

Forty-nine percent of the medevacs were related to traumatic injuries, whereas 41% were associated with acute diseases and 10% remained unclear. Cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders accounted for 90% of internal medical cases. About 69% of the trauma was related to contusions, lacerations, and cuts. The main body regions injured were limbs (∼59%) and head (∼32%). The total rescue time until arrival at the destination facility averaged 175.3 minutes (standard deviation = 54.4 minutes). The mean helicopter offshore arrival time was 106.9 minutes (standard deviation = 57.4 minutes) after the incoming emergency call. In 64% of the medevacs, the helicopter arrived on scene within a help time of 90 minutes.

Conclusion

A reduction of help time (≤ 60 minutes) for time-critical severe trauma and acute diseases may be anticipated through rapid and focused medical and logistic decision-making processes by the onshore dispatch center combined with professional, qualified, and well-trained flight and rescue personnel.

Section snippets

Material and Methods

For the period of investigation (August 2011-December 2013), 39 medevacs were evaluated. Before June 1, 2012, the medevacs were conducted with a Eurocopter Dauphin AS 365 C3. From July 2012 to the end of the investigation period, a Eurocopter Dauphin AS 365 N2 (alternating with Dauphin AS 365 C3) was used. The flight distance between Emden airport (helicopter base) and the geographic center of the wind farm measures about 135 km (∼73 NM). The helicopter rescue team starting from Emden (Fig. 1)

Offshore Air Medevacs

Thirty-nine offshore medevacs in the wind farm Bard Offshore 1 were evaluated for the period between August 2011 and December 2013. In 19 cases (49%), the medevacs were responding for traumatic injuries, whereas 16 events (41%) were related to acute diseases. In 4 cases (10%), the type of the medical emergency remained unclear. Winch operations or specific patient rescue from heights were not indicated.

The air medevacs were widely conducted during summer months from July to August (16/39

Main Time Slots of Air Medevacs

The increased number of air medevacs during July and August is potentially associated with seasonal construction activities and thus related to the increased number of personnel in the wind farm Bard Offshore 1. Statistical investigations11 reveal that, during the summer seasons from 2010 to 2012, the monthly average of offshore workers (about 250-300 daily) exceeded 6- to > 24-fold the average during the cold period from December to January.

The increased number of 8 missions on Sundays (Fig. 3

Conclusions

This study represents a detailed, factually novel set of data that for the first time shed light on air rescue from offshore wind structures and, thus, may have a future impact on the strategic design of air rescue chains in both the offshore wind and oil and gas industries as well as in other parts of the maritime sector (eg, medevacs from vessels). Mastering air medevacs under the maritime conditions of offshore wind farms is generally an enormous challenge for all personnel involved. Despite

Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the German Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention for Trade and Merchandise Logistics (Berufsgenossenschaft Handel und Warenlogistik, BGHW). The scientific content and statements of this manuscript do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the BGHW. We are deeply indebted to thank our BARD/OWS, NHC and ORS/SeaLink colleagues, particularly Peter Ihlenfeld, Frank Zabell, Herbert Janssen, and Jann Aden, for collecting and providing basic

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