Ok, so here we go with the mud slinging and, as expected, a volunteer swiftly whipping out a crying towel. For those of you that don't know wires are invisible during the day and definetly invisible at night. PERIOD. If a fire department takes on the RESPONSIBILITY of handling a landing zone then it MUST be executed in the proper manner without COMPLACENCY. If you are not RESPONSIBLE enough, not MATURE enough to be held ACCOUNTABLE then you shouldn't be there in the first place. For the vol with his myriad of excuses to include "we work all day" and then we "call a helicopter to save a life". Well professor, you're placing lives at risk while doing this. If you cannot fulfil the obligations of a PROFESSIONAL then stay home and let PROFESSIONALS handle it. It doesn't matter if you are career or not. But if you again aren't MATURE or RESPONSIBLE enough to do this or beheld ACCOUNTABLE then you have no place whatsoever in emergency services and DEFINETLY not handling an LZ. The personnel in that aircraft are literally placing their lives in the hands of strangers. And, more often thn not, these strangers are untrained, incompetant and irresponsible and do nothing more than wear a costume on a big red truck when they get sent on assignments like this. So.....IF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING DO US ALL A FAVOR AND S T A Y H O M E. They'd be better off landing at a nearby fixed base of operations or other site that has been selected, CHECKED, and secured by someone who can be professional. Each and every time some volunteer screws up like this it the old song.."I give up my free time" or "I work hard all day" or "I do this for free". It doesn't matter. Fire doesn't remember...remember? Isn't that what you idiots cry to professional career firefighters all the time when you are looked down upon (for just cause). Volunteers CAN and ARE professionals, it just doesn't appear to be the case in this instance. So do us all a favor and shut up, man up and GROW UP. If you can't handle it let me offer you some sound friendly advice. You want to help your community but can't handle the responsibility of being a firefighter? Go be a damn cub scout pack leader! You want excitement from your boring life? Join a damn bowling league! But leave handling emergencies up to the people that can handle it. You people absolutely disgust me with your weakness, lack of a spine and excuses.

"Ex Vol FF 6/19/09 at 1:28 AM i used to be a vol ff and i got out because of retards like those from dodge co. vol ff/ems personnel pose a liability risk to everyone on scene. i would hope in the future that all states get rid of vol fd and ems agencies "

In response to your comment, the department you left is better of without you, the people they save are better off with out you, I've been a firefighter for 15 years and know the hazards of a LZ, you must how ever remember, things don't always goes as planned. In different circumstances what if it had been a mechanical malfunction would you still complain and criticize the volunteers, we all have to remember, accidents happen whether careless or what there still accidents, don't criticize the volunteers , the one who risk their live to save someone else just because they care , its people like (Ex firefighter) that sadden me, i applaud those on the helicopter and i applaud those who where their for those people in the first initial accident keep up the good work.

I don't think that anyone is trying to blame any of the EMS providers or the Volunteer Firefighter for the choice of landing zones. I am not pointing blame here just stating facts, thatit is the pilot who is ulitmately responsible for the safety if the aircraft. It the pilot was unsure as to his position in regards to the wires, he should have requested assistance for the med crew and well is made contact with the LZ commander. It is accidents like these that have given HEMS a bad name. This incident like many out there was preventable. Safety should be the #1 priority of all HEMS crews.

Everytime we launch on a flight, there is risk. All HEMS programs do their best to prevent accidents, but we all have had close calls. Lets let this be a reminder that all EMS personnel must be vigilant in safety. This starts with the IC picking the LZ and looking for obstructions, hazards...and correctly notifying the flight crew. Flight crews should NEVER be notified of what the pt condition is before landing. We are prepared for ANYTHING on EVERY call. Telling the pilot it is a child subconsciously creates pressure to complete the call. The pt is a priority, but safe flying procedures are truly priroity numer one.

It was only a matter of time before AEL had another mishap. THANK GOD no one was hurt or killed...this time. And yet they continue to claim that they have the highest safety standards. HA.

As I was a part of that LZ,I should know what happened,and no there was not a cell phone in use while that piulot was taking off,they are not aloud to have a cell phone on board,and out of respect to the pilot i am going to defend him,and I know that this is a fact,as the pilot was lifting the helecopter off he had a glare in his eyes and thought he was clear of power lines that he did just so happen to know was there and then pulled his googles down and got into thje powerlines,and no they do not have time to look around but they do anyway,they are to busy tending to the patient,so all you people can say what you want but I was there when the inncident occured.And I hope that none of you ever have to face that same problem like these pilots and family did. thank you

first off i would like to thank everyone of the emergency personnel that put there lives at risk everday and night for thoses in need i"am a pilot in training and hope to fly health net one day and one of the first things they teach you is safty first and yes the pilot was aware of the power lines and yes maybe he should have found a better place to land but in the pilots defence he did not have to land at all he could have said it was to dangerous and flew away and not help that child but he did not he took a chance and tryed people really dont understand unless you are in the air that things do happen weather can be bad and could cause bad vison or when it night time its also very hard to land a helicopter even with night vison and yes pliots do make mistakes after all pilots are only human to just trying to do there job the best way they know how that could have been your family member he was trying to help what would you rather him do? help that child or not help that child

I guess no one was at fault. No one will take the blame. Someone was flying the helicopter and ran into powerlines. Irresponsible, no matter what all the good people say. Watch where you are going. If was me, I would be fined and have to pay for repair and cost of rescue and everything else involved. Someone is to blame for being careless. What was it cell phone use? Hmm

If the crew on board that helicopter had surveyed the LZ a little better, they perhaps could have avoided this situation. The pilot, nurse and medic all have every opportunity to look around the scene after landing to assess for hazards they may not have noticed while landing. If the pilot had flown out the same route he took to land, they could have avoided the lines as well. I would tend to put the responsibility on the pilot and medical crew first as they have ultimate responsibility. Check the NTSB website in a few months and they will most likely agree, there was a lack of situational awareness by the pilot. Another incident by Air Evac, strong work.

I have been a volunteer for about 7 years now and I do not see why these people are complaining about our work. We work long hours every day and come home and here them call us out to land a helecopter and when we arrive on scene we call for a helecopter to save a life and to help someone and all we get is greif. What if we were to come to your house and refuse to put out the fire or to save your mother or father or brother or anybody,you all complaining wouldnt like it at all. So we are not sorry for any of you guy complaining,after all it is dangerous for us jus being out on that highway. I just really wish that people would respect us the way we respect them. And if there was to be no powerlines we couldnt land a helecopter because without powerlines there is no power so therefore we would have to travel way out in the boonedocks just to land a helecopter. So what would be the point. Thank You, And sorry for all those inconsiderate people.

I have been i firefighter for 18 years. everytime something bad happens there is always people blaming the vol, i have set up alot of lzs and alot of them is near powers lines and it is protocol to tell the pilot of every danger on the ground i am sure the fire deptments on scene instucted the pilot of potential danger od lines close by. And for those who like to dish the volunteers who sacrafice time from familys and jobs to help others look up how many volunteer deptments make up wv then look up how many heavy populated areas they are then look how many areas wouldnt have fire or ems crew to help them in a efficent time frame due to several miles from the citys that would mean lots of homes lost not damaged.so i guess if no one was there to volunteer who would help your family and friends or even my family and friends.... i guess those who dish us really have no idea what they are talking about and just need something to run off there mouths about .

first off i was there that night. to address these comments one by one. 1.) the pt was stabalized and after the line strike the pt was transported by the flight crew to the hospital. 2.) We use a varieity of landing zones most if noit all have3 power line near them depending on weather conditions is which on we use that is the deciding factor. 3.) for the retard who got out of a vol. fire department because you felt they pose a risk to others no you got out because A.) you couldn't hack it if you think something is a risk in your protocols you work on changing it B.) firefighting and ems work is not safe you do what you need to get everyone safe. C.) Furthermore if they got rid of the volunteers your taxes would skyrocket there would be less departments than we have now. The poroblem now is the fact we are losing members due to guys like you demanding more and more adv anced classes for firemen and we have families that we put on hold to help others.

I was a Harrison County volunteer Firefighter for 15 years. Every LZ regardless of where it is at poses dangers for all. That is to say that regardless where the LZ is there is always could be some problem that happens unexpectedly. REGARDLESS of what people think there are always power lines near virtually every LZ that I can think of except at the airport in clarksburg. Point that I am trying to make is that s about the only perfect LZ that I know of. Emergency Personel have to do the best with what they have to work with at the time something happens. In this case Rt 50 . This is one of the best places to land a helicopter in Ritchie and Doddridge Counties. #1 You can shut it down. #2 You can keep all non essential people back. #3 Usually easier to work with a 4 lane road where there is lot's of room and Fire and Ems can be a little closer to the helicopter. Remember that Safety is always # 1 anything could have caused that pilot to shift and the wind could have been a factor in this as well . Greenwood the emphisis was already on the 6 yr old. I am sure that it was the flight crew's first concern!

First off, the reason that the emergency personnel were more worried about the power lines and rerouting traffic instead of her was because there was nothing they could do for her. She was in good hands with the flight medic and nurse. The power lines could be proven to be more deadly to more people. The traffic needed to be rerouted because it would have affected more people. As far as landing zones, Route 50 is just about the best place to land a helicopter because of how open it is. yes there are power lines around....but there are power lines around on just about every LZ that we set up, that are closer than what we were.If you think that you can setup a better lz maybe you should get up off of the couch and VOLUNTEER at your local department!!! I think these crews did one heck of a good job....including the 911 center the Pilot I will say did do one heck of a job to get them back down.

I thank God everything turned out for the better, but why if there a landing sight near power lines to begin with? All other landing sights have no lines near them.

I hope the child is going to be ok. The greenwood area needs a better copter landing zone for emergencies. I'm glad nobody got hurt when the copter hit the lines.

I think the statement should say that the major concern was the 6 year old on board. The patient is the number one priority. He/She must have been scared to death. Yes, even though the pilot had been warned, I think he did a heck of a job sitting the helicopter back on the ground.