Sometimes really smart people

do really dumb stuff.

If you work EMS or air medical,

this isn’t news.

In fact, it’s common.

It’s one reason you’re so busy, right?

Over the past five years,

I’ve held coaching sessions with hundreds of nurses, paramedics and pilots

who want to fly air medical.

In all but a handful of these coaching sessions… 

People bring up their bosses  — and vent about them.

This topic comes up without fail, no matter who I’m coaching, or what the career goal.

Never heard of it, right?

You might even think I’m pulling your leg.

Honestly, I wish I was. I wish this entire post was just a tasteless joke written for my own amusement.

 But it’s not.

The truth is Small Landing Zone Syndrome is real, although I’m just now coining the term. I’ve watched it spread for years, slowly but surely infecting thousands of EMS Flight Safety Network air and ground crews.

Not just clueless beginners, either. Smart firefighters, smart flight crews, smart EMTs & paramedics across the globe, all working hard to create safe medical helicopter landing zones, all doing everything they should be.

Except… none of it works for them.

Not because they’ve made a mistake. Not because their choices suck. Not because they’re lazy.