LifeNet Helicopter Emergency Medical Services

Some interesting recent activity on Air Methods Corporation's WQTJ727 FCC authorization caught my eye. Combined with the uptick in activity this time of year usually brings (thanks, in small part, to motorcyclists being out in the nice weather), I've been prompted me to dust off my Life Net of New York medevac notes. I saw some incomplete / unverified entries.

AirCom / LifeNet 7-1 "Albany" channel: 155.2350, D432(?)
AirCom "South Albany" channel: 155.2350, 67.0(?)

AirCom / LifeNet 7-2 "?" channel: 155.2650, D743

AirCom "Kobelt" channel: 463.0750, 179.9
(Air 2, a.k.a. LifeNet 7-4) "Kobelt" channel: 468.0750, 179.9

AirCom "Valhalla" channel: 463.0000, 179.9 (also used by Westchester Medical Center / 60-Control)
(Air 2) "Valhalla" channel: 468.000, 179.9

AirCom / LifeNet 7-5 "Harris" channel: 460.8875R, D343

AirCom / LifeNet 7-8 "Sidney" channel: 462.9625, 103.5

AirCom / LifeNet 7-? "Plattsburgh" channel: 451.5250, ??

Helicopter air-to-air common: 123.0250

Any help in filing in the blanks would be greatly appreciated.

Lots of motorcycle vs. other stuff happening around my area also.

Here's my Uniden USD file that includes the LifeNet frequencies, among others.

You can import it into FreeSCAN or just edit it with Wordpad or any other editor to view the data.

(I haven't updated it over the past year.)

Rich

451.5250 (D731) LifeNet AirCom (Syracuse twr) -> Onondaga County Air 1 has also been reporting on/off air on this channel

152.3525 (127.3) LifeNet 7-7 Hornell

451.5250 (D723) LifeNet 7-9 Potsdam

451.5250 (D743) LifeNet 7-10 Dexter

451.5250 (D654) LifeNet 7-12 Seneca Falls

From the Syracuse area, heard a medevac on 155.160 (DPL114). Don't know who it was. Believed to be heading to Upstate Hospital.

This is my Air Methods list:

HACKENSACK AIRMED 1 MED-9 (HACKENSACK TOWER) 462.95 662
HACKENSACK AIRMED 1 MED-10 (WAYNE TOWER) 462.975 662
LIFENET 7-1 ALBANY, NY 155.235 245
LIFENET 7-1 SELKIRK, NY 155.235 432
LIFENET 7-2 GLEN, NY 155.235 743
LIFENET 7-5 HARRIS, NY 460.8875 343
LIFENET 7-7 HORNELL, NY 151.5125 162.2
LIFENET 7-8 SIDNEY, NY 462.9625 103.5
LIFENET 7-9 POTSDAM, NY 454.0625 723
AIRCOM SYRACUSE 454.0625 731
LIFENET AIR 2 NEWBURGH, NY 463.075 179.9
LIFENET 7-10 WATERTOWN, NY 454.0625 743
LIFENET WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY 463.000 179.9

Concatenated/updated version to follow shortly.

Here is the current compilation:

LIFENET 7-1 ALBANY, NY 155.235 245
LIFENET 7-1 SELKIRK, NY 155.235 432
LIFENET 7-2 GLEN, NY 155.235 743
LIFENET 7-4 (AIR 2) NEWBURGH, NY 463.000 179.9 (East Tower)
LIFENET 7-4 (AIR 2) NEWBURGH, NY 463.075 179.9 (West Tower)
LIFENET 7-4 (AIR 2) NEWBURGH, NY 468.000 179.9 (East Helo)
LIFENET 7-4 (AIR 2) NEWBURGH, NY 468.075 179.9 (West Helo)
LIFENET 7-5 HARRIS, NY 460.8875 343
LIFENET 7-7 HORNELL, NY 151.5125 162.2
LIFENET 7-7 HORNELL, NY 152.3525 127.3
LIFENET 7-8 SIDNEY, NY 462.9625 103.5
LIFENET 7-9 POTSDAM, NY 451.5250 723
LIFENET 7-9 POTSDAM, NY 454.0625 723
LIFENET 7-10 DEXTER, NY 152.3525 127.3
LIFENET 7-10 DEXTER, NY 454.0625 743
LIFENET 7-12 SENECA FALLS, NY 451.5250 654

HACKENSACK AIRMED 1 462.9500 662 (Hackensack Tower)
HACKENSACK AIRMED 1 462.9750 662 (Wayne Tower)

AIRCOM SYRACUSE 451.5250 731

Hackensack Air Med 1 add 478.2375 131.8. Primary. When going into NY State they switch to Air 2's channel.

Gentlemen, thank you for the replies to date.

rbm: you can safely delete any references to Mobile Life Support Services and LifeGuard18 from your medevac database, as LifeGuard18 has been disbanded and MLSS is out of the medevac business.

Dave: The "South Albany" channel appears to be one-and-the-same with what you describe as Selkirk. Where is the physical 7-1 parked when not in use?

Two more questions for you all, as I try to untangle the LifeNet radio network that overlays the state and its functions:

1) Are the Syracuse and Plattsburgh channels used in a similar fashion to the Valhalla channel? There is no helicopter based out of Valhalla (there was, many moons ago; Air 1, back in the STaTFlight days), but Westchester Medical Center, a Level 1 center, is located there - making it a popular medevac destination, thus necessary to put a base radio tower there to allow AirCom to keep in touch with its units. Is the Plattsburgh channel to cover the area/talk to the CVPH Medical Center? Is Syracuse to cover Crouse and/or St. Joe's? In other words, is my understanding correct that these two channels aren't for primarily for the dispatch of 7-xx helicopters but to talk to EDs and AirCom when in the area of popular Level 1 trauma centers?

ii) The other helicopters with two channels (-7, 9, and 10); what's the difference between the two? Are they simulcast?

Once these questions are answered, I'll be one step closer to consolidating all the above information regarding LifeNet into one master list. Much like with the controversy in the New Jersey room where there is some thought is being given redesignating medevac talkgroup names to more accurately reflect what they are being used for, I'm beginning to think that it might be better to list the frequencies and associate them with specific functions, as opposed to specific 7-xx units. "Valhalla" isn't 7-4's channel, has asnh notes above. I addition to Hackensack 1, I'm routinely hearing 7-5 using it to make reservations for an inbound interfacility transfer out of Catskill Regional. While some of the above channels may be used to page/alert/dispatch specific 7-xx units, many apparently aren't.

KC2zZe said:

Gentlemen, thank you for the replies to date.

rbm: you can safely delete any references to Mobile Life Support Services and LifeGuard18 from your medevac database, as LifeGuard18 has been disbanded and MLSS is out of the medevac business.

Click to expand...

Thanks for taking the time to do the research.
I've updated my Medevac usd file.

Rich

Lifenet has website with location and helo info for all NYS locations. http://lifenetny.com/mobile/index.html

You might find answers to location questions there.

FYI, I don't believe 454.0625 is used anymore. Was replaced with 451.525, and other locally licensed freqs.

AirCom Syracuse talks to any of the 7-x medevacs while in route to Syracuse hospitals (such as Upstate). Once they are in range, the use the Syracuse tower.

AirCom Syracuse is also being broadcasted on my live feed for Oswego County. They are especially busy on the weekends lately.

KC2zZe said:

Dave: The "South Albany" channel appears to be one-and-the-same with what you describe as Selkirk. Where is the physical 7-1 parked when not in use?

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South Albany Airport is in Selkirk. There is no such municipality as South Albany.

7-1 lives at Albany Medical Center. The helicopters refuel at South Albany when in the area.

LifeNet's web site says this about 7-1's current location: The flight team is currently based at South Albany Airport where they relocated in June of 2013 following just over 17 years at Albany Medical Center.

However, I would venture that the bird and crew spend much of their waking hours at AMC.

Every time I'm in a position to see them during a launch, they come from downtown Albany.

What covers the central Adirondaks? Like Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, etc? If I recall, State Police used to serve that area with a dual purpose helicopter (e.g. a "Lifeguard"). I don't know if they still do and if so, what frequency is used for medical flight dispatching.

I looked at the "coverage rings" on the Lifenet website and I don't see a bird covering that area and I think it's beyond the normal range for DHART.

Thunderknight said:

What covers the central Adirondaks? Like Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, etc? If I recall, State Police used to serve that area with a dual purpose helicopter (e.g. a "Lifeguard"). I don't know if they still do and if so, what frequency is used for medical flight dispatching.

I looked at the "coverage rings" on the Lifenet website and I don't see a bird covering that area and I think it's beyond the normal range for DHART.

Click to expand...

NYSP has a bird with paramedics based at Adirondack Regional Airport in Lake Clear which is midway between Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake. It's not always available due to SP obligations.

LifeNet 7-9 is based in Potsdam which can easily reach Lake Placid. 7-10 is in Dexter at Watertown International Airport which can pretty well serve areas west of Tupper Lake.

I'm in the very southern ADK and we usually get 7-2 or 7-1 or the SP bird out of Colonie.

I'm not sure who covers the very northeast of the state. Maybe a bird out of the trauma center in Burlington VT.

SteveC0625 said:

NYSP has a bird with paramedics based at Adirondack Regional Airport in Lake Clear which is midway between Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake. It's not always available due to SP obligations.

LifeNet 7-9 is based in Potsdam which can easily reach Lake Placid. 7-10 is in Dexter at Watertown International Airport which can pretty well serve areas west of Tupper Lake.

I'm in the very southern ADK and we usually get 7-2 or 7-1 or the SP bird out of Colonie.

I'm not sure who covers the very northeast of the state. Maybe a bird out of the trauma center in Burlington VT.

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According to the Lifenet website, Potsdam is now a fixed wing aircraft. While I don't dispute the possible range of the Dexter helicopter, it's beyond what is shown on their website as the service area.

Edit: found some details for the one at Lake Clear: http://www.northcountrylifeflight.org
I'll see if I can find a frequency with an FCC search.

I am not aware of a helicopter stationed at Burlington. (But there might be).

Hey Dave... to clarify the LifeNet 7-1 question... they are in fact "housed" at South Albany Airport off Creble Road (4B0). Been there a few times as I'm friendly with a few of the crew up that way. Cool little quarters, also. Hope this helps. Potsdam is definitely fixed wing only, also.

Thunderknight said:

Edit: found some details for the one at Lake Clear: North Country Life Flight, Inc.
I'll see if I can find a frequency with an FCC search.

I am not aware of a helicopter stationed at Burlington. (But there might be).

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Since they are SP birds, I suspect they use SP frequencies mostly for their own operations. I do know that typically, the requesting agency specifies the frequency for LZ ops.

DHART

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team (DHART) | Dartmouth-Hitchcock covers North eastern parts of the state

for the area DHART is the primary, however you will also find
North Country Life Flight and Life Net of New York

jmv3085 said:

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team (DHART) | Dartmouth-Hitchcock covers North eastern parts of the state

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