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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Skies Wide Open
Health and safety – Air SAR community

By Dr. Emily Roback, B.Sc., D.C.

Pilots and air search and rescue members must physically take care of themselves to be able to help others. Photo Credit: NSS

Alberta’s air rescue pilots want to know whether the actions performed by personnel in emergency planes and helicopters are worth the medical risks involved while attempting to rescue individuals.

Though riding in a rescue plane or helicopter has its risks, the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) in Red Deer, Alberta, has made significant strides since the mid-1980s in maintaining numerous hard-edged standards that enforce stricter health and safety procedures for their pilots, navigators, and spotters. According to Jim Thoreson, zone commander at CASARA, “The majority of our rescue pilots thrive on the adrenaline of flying.” Recently, the association acquired its own liability policy, workers compensation board insurance and accidental death insurance to ensure proper coverage for those engaged in high-risk activities, such as air rescue.

As a chiropractor and air rescue trainee, I am learning visual search patterns, understanding the ergonomics of an aircraft, and providing health tips for aviators. To truly understand what rescue pilots and passengers experienced during the search of a missing person – and that despite my hearing-impairment – I volunteered as a spotter. What I really appreciate and enjoy about my air-rescue encounters is that I can use my hearing aids and headset to communicate health strategies to all members of the rescue party without any difficulty.

Fitness and well-being

The following are two different situations that demonstrate how valuable chiropractic care, nutrition, and exercise can be when practiced by private aviators and air search and rescue members:

• Case 1: A 31-year-old storm aviator suffered lower back pain with mild leg stiffness. Muscle tightness and joint dysfunction was noted. With just one visit to his chiropractor, the patient reported no further leg stiffness after his nine-hour flights. He started using a cushion to support his lower back, and he completed his neck and leg stretch routines from a seated position every twenty minutes.
  
  
• Case 2: A 42-year-old professional aviator reported that he needed to improve his nutrition habits, lose unwanted weight, and ultimately reduce knee pain. The client received a series of assessments and subsequently was able to alter his lifestyle. Within two months, he lost centimeters around his midsection and his knee discomfort had been eliminated. In fact, he now flies more than he usually did before due to increased attentiveness and energy levels.

Taking care of ourselves

Today, all pilots are required to ensure the flight fitness of their airplanes, while also removing any and all potential hazards before taking off from the runway. It is also imperative that all aviators take the initiative to reach their own optimal health level while continuing to promote the safety of their passengers. Given the status of fitness in which many pilots appear to be, one could think that it takes less effort for an aviator to tolerate pain and discomfort than it does to implement strategies that improve their wellbeing.

As long as people in the aviation profession continue to take care of themselves and their colleagues in the air travel industry, they will be able to take care of others.

Dr. Emily Roback, president of Chiroback Trekker, provides chiropractic, sports therapy, and injury prevention seminars for search and rescue teams in Alberta. Dr. Roback can be contacted at roback@doctor.com and/or (403) 886–2044.

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