Deadline for 2013 Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award Extended and Members of Blue Ribbon Committee Announced
August 22, 2013
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – American Eurocopter announced that the deadline has been extended until Sept. 7 for nominations for the 2013 Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award, a $10,000 annual prize the company awards to air medical transport organization for innovative measures taken to improve aviation safety.
The award was established by American Eurocopter to promote and recognize a higher level of safety within the air medical transport industry. This will be the seventh year the prize is awarded. MedFlight Ohio won the 2012 award for implementing an expansive number of safety initiatives.
All programs and operators who are members of the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) are eligible to apply for the Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award, and may nominate themselves. Application forms are now available on the AAMS website. A Blue Ribbon Committee will review the applications and select this year’s winner.
The eight members of the 2013 Vision Zero Award selection committee all have an extensive background in the air medical industry. They are:
Bill Bryant MPA/HSA (Chairman)
Bryant is president and principle of Sierra Health Group, a national health care consulting firm based in Golden, Colo. He has more than 25 years of experience in the air medical industry and has worked on consulting projects in more than 30 states. He is a prior AAMS board member and officer.
Denise Landis, RN, EMT-P, MSA, CMTE
Landis has been in the air medical transport industry more than 25 years. Landis is Program Director for the University of Michigan Survival Flight and is a past president of the AAMS. She is chairwoman of the Medical Transport Leadership Institute (MTLI), Secretary/Treasurer of Michigan AAMS, President of Michigan AAA, and the Chair Elect of ACCT.
Eileen Frazer, RN, CMTE
Ms. Frazer has been Executive Director of CAMTS since its inception in 1990. She has published many articles and chapters related to safety and medical transport operations and has a regular feature in the Air Med Journal entitled "Ask CAMTS."
Ed MacDonald
MacDonald has more than 44 years of experience flying patients since 1970 as a combat medical evacuation pilot and as an EMS pilot. He has held positions as a Chief Pilot, Safety Manager and Lead Pilot. McDonald is a retired U.S. Army Major and is past President of NEMSPA, past Co-Chair of the AAMS/CORE Safety Committee, and past Chairman of AMSAC.
Chris Eastlee
Eastlee is President of the Air Medical Operators Association (AMOA), a trade association representing certificated air carriers providing air medical transport. He works with federal agencies, Congressional offices, other associations and operators themselves on issues related to aviation safety, federal aviation regulation and guidance. He manages numerous AMOA projects for the enhancement of safety.
Gerry Pagano
Pagano is Director of Operations for Health Care District of Palm Beach County's Trauma Hawk Aeromedical Program in West Palm Beach, Fla. He has more than 30 years of experience in aviation operations including combat flight assignments, air traffic control and emergency medical services, and consults on air carrier certification. Pagano has been certified as an Aviation Safety Program Manager at the Transportation Safety Institute, and currently serves as Chairman of the AAMS board of directors.
Jason Schwebach, MBA, MHA, CMTE
Schwebach is Administrative Director for MedCenter Air, the transport service for Carolinas Healthcare System in Charlotte, N.C. He is a former military medical officer and helicopter pilot with both the U.S. Army and the Air Force, and has been in the air-medical industry for 19 years. He is a CAMTS site surveyor, immediate past president of the North Carolina Air-Medical Affiliation and founding vice-chair for the Association of Critical Care Transport.
Lindsay Cunningham
Cunningham is Senior Manager of Aviation Safety at American Eurocopter. Her primary background is in aircraft accident investigation, which has given her a unique, real-world perspective on the complex safety challenges in the rotorcraft industry. Cunningham embraces the opportunity to help develop, promote and support practical, meaningful safety solutions for the industry. She is an FAA-rated fixed wing and rotorcraft pilot and has served in the past as Co-Chair for the International Helicopter Safety Team/Joint Helicopter Safety Implementation Team (IHST/JHSIT) Systems and Equipment Working Group and Co-Chair of the Global Helicopter Flight Data Monitoring (Global HFDM) Community.
For more information on the American Eurocopter Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award, please visit www.aams.org.
The Vision Zero entry form can be found here: http://aams.informz.net/aams/data/images/awards/aec_7th_annual_vision_zero_nomination_form.pdf
About American Eurocopter
American Eurocopter is the U.S. affiliate of Eurocopter, the largest helicopter manufacturer in the world, and a subsidiary of EADS North America Holdings, the North American operations of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defense and related services. American Eurocopter is a helicopter manufacturer and markets, sells and supports the broadest range of civil and parapublic helicopters offered by any manufacturer. The product line represents the most cost-effective, technologically-advanced helicopters, ranging from light single to heavy twin aircraft, serving all markets and missions. American Eurocopter’s headquarters and main facility are in Grand Prairie, with a large manufacturing and production facility in Columbus, Miss.
