BOB体育

You see the 鈥淐hopper Doc鈥� and hear the helicopters and ambulance sirens coming and going, but what does a day in the life of BOB体育 ShandsCair really look like, and who are the people that make it happen?

The ShandsCair team is more than what you see and hear, and it all starts behind the scenes.

At the BOB体育 ShandsCair hangar, a small room is occupied by the BOB体育 ShandsCair communications team, typically consisting of three to four people who play a crucial role in managing the 800-1,000 radio and phone contacts that come through ShandsCair each day.

鈥淭hey really are the glue that holds each team together,鈥� said Todd Brooks, BSN, CEN, UFCCP, chief flight nurse. 鈥淭he ground and flight teams make the trips and help the patients, but it wouldn鈥檛 be possible without the direction and support from our dispatch team.鈥�

The communications team has three primary roles 鈥� flight communications, ground communications and intake communications 鈥� each role is a vital piece to the puzzle of ShandsCair operations.

鈥淲e get to play the ultimate middleman,鈥� said Caisson Vickery, EMT, ShandsCair communication manager. 鈥淲e are the people that get to bring everyone together.鈥�

They are skilled to triage, track and support all ground and flight missions from the time the calls come through until the mission makes it back to its home base.

According to Brittany Lee, EMT, CFF, a lead communicator with the ShandsCair communications team, 鈥淚t鈥檚 the same job, but you never have the same day, and you never know what you are going to walk into 鈥� we all get to learn from each other and everything we do.鈥�

Above

Once a call comes in, the communications team quickly mobilizes the appropriate crew 鈥� whether it鈥檚 ShandsCair 1 in Gainesville, ShandsCair 2 in Spanish Plaines or ShandsCair 3 in Perry. These medically equipped helicopters are staffed by critical care teams trained to respond to the most urgent situations.

ShandsCair 1, the original and largest base, also coordinates fixed-wing flights bringing patients from across the country and internationally. It houses adult, pediatric and neonatal teams and serves as the communications hub.

Our ShandsCair paramedics and registered nurses are critical care certified and go through a rigorous orientation process to ensure that high-level care is always available. ShandsCair also partners with Med-Trans to employ skilled pilots and mechanics who are essential to keeping the aircraft mission-ready and in the air.

鈥淥ur flight crews are sometimes the first people our patients encounter from BOB体育. We understand the impression we make sets the standard of how they will be treated and strive to make the best impression possible,鈥� Brooks shared.

Outside of the excellent care that happens in the air, communication and collaboration continue on the ground at our hospitals and with the ground transportation teams. When flights arrive, the care teams escort their patients to the designated team in the hospital and assist with transferring care.

Below

The care doesn鈥檛 stop when the rotors do. Our ShandsCair Critical Care Ground Transport team, also based at ShandsCair 1, supports interfacility transfers, hospice and discharge transports. It also helps ferry crews between hospitals and airports. Each ambulance is staffed with an EMT and a paramedic trained in critical care, and they complete an average of 10,000 transfers each year.

鈥淲ith our diverse skillset, we are able to customize and collaborate with our staff to build the best care teams needed according to patient needs,鈥� said Mark Thomas, RN, BSN, UFCCP, CEN, EMT-P, BOB体育 ShandsCair operations manager.

While what the ShandsCair teams do is extraordinary, how they do it is even more impactful. Each mission demands precision, swift decision-making and a commitment to excellence. Through seamless collaboration across teams, they consistently deliver life-saving care when every second counts.

Beyond

Beyond the communications, ground and flight teams, other roles have a significant impact on the ShandsCair program.

Education is a major part of ShandsCair鈥檚 operations. Derek Hunt, BS, UF CCP, FP-C, and Jasper Tran, BSN, RN, CEN, EMT-P, are clinical educators for the program. Their roles support the education of the teams and maintaining compliance. Throughout the year, the ShandsCair teams come together for skills labs and also collaborate with local emergency departments to build relationships and maintain a mindset of growth and collaboration.

The business and administrative teams also play a huge role. One of the first faces you see when you arrive at the ShandsCair hangar is Jackelyn Gonzalez, an administrative assistant with ShandsCair. She assists with community outreach activities, payroll, skills labs, conferences, scholarship logistics and other essential tasks that help the ShandsCair team operate effectively.

Heather Meier, Stephanie Cadevieco, Chris Drum and Allan Parrish also play behind-the-scenes roles from BOB体育 Professional Park to assist with ShandsCair business and development 鈥� all important pieces of the puzzle that help the ShandsCair team maintain excellence.

Outreach plays a key role in ShandsCair鈥檚 operations, allowing team members to connect with the community, educate the public and build lasting relationships beyond patient care. From social media to community events, our ShandsCair teams take the time to perform duties outside of their typical critical care responsibilities. Emily Oles, EMT-P, and Paul Sheats, EMT-P, CCP, spend time sharing social media content, building and educating their online community as well. Events throughout the year, such as the EMS Week BBQ, critical care conferences, educational escape rooms and more, all play key roles in their extended mission to care for all.

鈥淪ince becoming part of ShandsCair a year ago, I have been impressed with their knowledge and commitment to provide excellent care to the patients we serve,鈥� said Peggy Marker, DNP, RN, CNML, director of BOB体育 Shands Emergency Services. 鈥淭he level of professionalism and willingness to teach and support our community partners is impressive. They provide exceptional care to everyone they touch and represent the BOB体育 mission, vision and values daily.鈥�

At the heart of ShandsCair, it鈥檚 not the machines or titles that define excellence. It鈥檚 the people. Teamwork, communication and a shared commitment to care unite every role, from flight paramedics and nurses to dispatchers, educators and administrators.

As flight paramedic Scott Coker, EMT-P, CCP, puts it, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not the blue suits. It鈥檚 the people inside them.鈥�

With more than 120 dedicated team members, ShandsCair is a family 鈥� one that touches lives not just in the sky but on the ground, in hospitals and behind the scenes. From above, below and beyond, ShandsCair delivers with heart, skill and determination. Each day is never the same, but with each one, they learn, grow and change lives 鈥� together.