NTSB to hold hearing on EMS aviation

In the last seven years there have been more than 63 accidents involving EMS helicopters, including seven in 2008 with 28 fatalities. One of those this year killed a wildland firefighter, Michael MacDonald of the Chief Mountain Hot Shots, when two EMS helicopters tried to occupy the same space while landing at a Flagstaff, Arizona hospital.

The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a 3-day hearing on the safety of helicopter EMS operations. It will begin February 3, 2009, at the NTSB's Board Room and Conference Center, 429 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, D.C.

The hearing will be webcast. An agenda and webcast details will be posted on the Board's website, http://www.ntsb.gov, when available.