NEMSPA

Words and action 

A few years ago I was in a meeting attended by pilots from all over the country. On the way out the door, I heard a very well known and respected pilot make the comment, “same ol' stuff.” (Stuff was not the word he used, but I'm sure I would be called to the principal's office if I used the real term.) At the time, I thought the comment was inappropriate. Now, although the comment may have been inappropriate, I understand the sentiment.

We have all been in meetings that seem to go around in circles. We have all been in meetings where some great ideas were put on the table—none of which ever bore fruit. We have all heard buzzwords and catch phrases designed to keep us focused on a specific area. We have all been to meetings that seem like de ja vu all over again.

I attended a meeting during the recent Heli-expo in Anaheim, Calif., on safety. Of course, that's what a great deal of meetings have been about lately. After several people had given their opinions on safety issues, a gentleman stood up and stated the following: “I have attended this meeting every year for the past 5 years, and we are still talking about the same thing we were talking about 5 years ago.”

A few days ago I read an article in an aviation publication that discussed EMS and the efforts being made to make us safer. The author quoted an AAMS representative and other industry leaders as saying the initiatives proposed at the 2000 Safety Summit were probably gathering dust on a shelf somewhere.

If we were to look back over the past several years and read articles, minutes, statements, etc, I think we would find that there has been more talk than action, at least on the surface. In thinking about this, I had to ask myself what actions I have taken to improve safety in my small part of the world. I then had to ask myself whether we have done something or just have continued to talk about it.

The answer is “yes” to both. That so many people are talking about safety is in itself an action. Obviously, it isn't enough.

Part of the problem is inability to quantify some of the actions necessary to improve safety. Those things we can touch or see can be numbered, named, or tagged. Thoughts, concepts, theories, however, are pretty tough to put a number on.

Tangibles, such as night vision goggles, radar altimeters, and TAWS, are all easy to spot. We can recognize their value immediately. It is the nontangibles, such as increased flight and ground training, the effects of AMRM, revised policies and procedures, and program leadership, that are difficult to quantify. I submit that, until there is a nationwide reporting system, none of the above will be analyzed with any accuracy.

With few exceptions, the recommended solutions to our safety problems are intangibles. A few of those exceptions I mentioned above (night vision, TAWS, and RADALT). We have been told that the FAA is working hard to make the NVG approval process more user-friendly and, I would hope, as a result, less costly. Almost everything else is in the intangible form, which brings me back to the question of action.

Since, at the moment, it is next to impossible to measure results of intangible actions, I have to start with me and ask the questions. Am I operating as safely as I know how? Have there been any positive changes in my program? Am I staying proficient at the skills required to do my job? As a pilot, do I deserve the trust the crew places in me each time they climb in that aircraft?

If we can answer yes to those few questions, we are about action, not just words. It doesn't have to take a large, well-publicized effort to enhance our safety. It just takes individuals putting words and ideas into action.