I get excited

when I talk with young people.

They give me hope for the future.

Their futures…

and the future of air medical.

Listening to young people talk about EMS and air medical is refreshing. Their excitement is contagious. It always leads to what I call “The big question.”

What is the big question?

Put simply, the big question is “what’s the best job?”

Young people don’t waste time with political correctness or tact or in some cases, manners. They don’t care about hurt feelings or making sure the whole team is recognized.

They only want to know what’s in it for them. Specifically…

They want to know the best job on a trauma helicopter. Period.

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.

When you first learn to fly

one of the very first things you’re taught (if you’re lucky)

is a simple, but profound checklist.

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.

The checklist is critical for two reasons:

First, it teaches you what to do. And second, it teaches you when (the correct order) to do it.

Over time you learn the real value of the — aviate, navigate, communicate — checklist. Over time you watch the checklist save your own butt. Over time you fall in love with the simplicity and effectiveness of the checklist.

And if these experiences aren’t convincing enough to new pilots, well . . .

Grace under pressure.

EMS crews are known for it.

EMS crews live it. EMS crews thrive on it.

That's the reason what I'm about to tell you next, may surprise you . . .

I can strike fear in any seasoned paramedic with two simple words.

Two words.

It's true, and it's easy to do.

Want to know the words?

Flight interview.

That's it. That's all it takes to get even seasoned paramedics, pilots and nurses hearts racing. Wannabe flight crews fear the flight interview.

Why?

Some fear is the natural byproduct of performance stress. The performance stress we all feel when trying to do our best. This type of fear is healthy and usually beneficial. Everyone who interviews feels some performance based stress and fear.

But flight interviews go well beyond normal performance pressure.

There’s more to flight interviews than most people realize. A lot more.

Flight interviews are different than ‘regular’ interviews.

Why Flight Interviews are Different

What makes a flight interview different?

A flight interview is a process.

A flight interview is a multi-step screening process designed to eliminate over 90 percent of all applicants.

A flight interview is a step all nurses, pilots and paramedics go through to get hired to staff medical helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. I say “process” because that’s exactly what it is.

"There’s more involved in a flight interview than a ‘regular’ interview. Flight interviews ask more of candidates than almost any other professional interview, including other health and aviation interviews."

Have you ever worked for someone who takes complete responsibility for ALL their actions?

Someone who never passes the buck?

I have.

It’s awesome.

It’s inspiring.

It’s leadership to the core.

One of the officers I served with followed this creed. He never passed the buck. Never. He took complete responsibility for everything in his charge.

Everything.

He was also a complete hard-ass.

But it didn’t matter. Everyone still loved him and wanted to work for him… including me.

Why?

Because he knew the secret.

“The only people who are mad at you for speaking the truth are those people who are living a lie.” ~Anonymous