Problems with maintenance caused several state police MedEvac helicopters to be out of service this past year, leaving federal agencies or commercial services to handle emergency medical transportation, according to a state audit released Thursday.
The auditors also said they couldn’t track whether trauma patients were delivered to hospitals within the life-saving “golden hour” for care.
But despite those issues, Legislative Auditor Bruce Myers said the helicopter command “is highly regarded throughout the country, and it has an extraordinary helicopter safety record.”
State Police Superintendent Col. Terrence Sheridan agreed with nearly all of the audit’s 22 recommendations — most of which centered on maintenance, inventory and record-keeping. The department plans to implement most of the changes by February.
However, the department disagreed with the audit’s recommendation that it “foster more stable leadership” because of too much management turnover, saying its aviation command has had only three commanders in the past 12 years and the turnover rates of experienced employees “is not significantly high.”
The legislature’s Joint Audit Committee requested the audit, and will hold a hearing on the report Sept. 9.
One of the audit’s principle findings was that for 51 days during fiscal 2007, fewer than eight of the agency’s 12 French-made Eurocopter Dauphins were available to transport patients. Six helicopters were out of service for more than 120 .
The report recommended the department develop a better tracking system for repairs and parts and use contractors for inspections, and the police agreed.
State Sen. Verna Jones, co-chairwoman of the Joint Audit Committee and a member of the budget subcommittee that oversees the state police, said she was concerned about the lack of detailed information on maintenance.
“I’m very concerned about spending public monies in an efficient way,” she said.
The aviation command has a $22 million budget with 161 employees.
Jones said the police have told the subcommittee the turnover rate was “typical” for an aviation unit, “but I think we still have to look at it to make sure we’re going to have to keep a good qualified staff.”
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Click here to read the auditor’s report.
