For years, Oregon and Washington were among the few western states without a designated statewide air-to-ground radio channel for communicating between helicopter emergency medical services (EMS) units and ground-based EMS providers. This gap was originally raised by U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

In response, Oregon’s State Interoperability Executive Council (SIEC), in collaboration with Washington State’s SIEC and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), worked to license and designate a new Very High Frequency (VHF) communication channel, VMED29, for this purpose. By February of 2022, this channel was officially adopted statewide in Oregon and has since proliferated throughout the Pacific Northwest.

"The importance of this work came into stark focus on August 4, 2024, at a remote wildfire camp near the Ochoco National Forest," William Chapman, Oregon's Statewide Interoperability Coordinator, said. "That day VMED29 played a crucial role in saving the life of an injured firefighter and a camper experiencing a cardiac emergency at the same time."

Thanks to the good planning work, standardized radio programming, and widespread adoption endorsement of VMED 29, communications between the ground-based EMS providers and responding helicopters was efficient and effective. The streamlined coordination ensured both patients were successfully treated and evacuated—one for cardiac surgery and the other for serious traumatic injuries. The after-action report confirmed the success of the communication channel and protocol in managing this complex situation.

"Seeing the tangible impact of our work in such critical moments reinforces the value of our efforts," Chapman said. "It’s a reminder that while the planning and policy work may seem abstract, it directly contributes to saving lives and improving emergency response."

For the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM), ensuring that our systems and strategies make a real difference when it matters most is a top priority. Much of our work involves behind-the-scenes planning and coordination that might seem far removed from what happens on the front lines at times. We craft policies, develop procedures, and ensure that communication channels are in place for when crises strike, but every now and then, we see firsthand how these efforts translate into real-world impacts.

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For more information see the Crazy Creek Fire Spike Camp “Rapid Lesson Sharing” report, which has much more detail.

Also, see the lessons learned incident reports:
Crazy Creek Fire Suspected Heart Attack Medical Emergency 2024
Crazy Creek Fire Run Over by Vehicle 2024