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SC Medical Helicopters

From The RadioReference Wiki

In the past decade, air medical transport companies have rapidly expanded their coverage of SC, providing an important resource for critically ill patients. There are currently 4 level I trauma centers in SC: Palmetto Richland in Columbia, Greenville Memorial Hospital in Greenville, Spartanburg Regional in Spartanburg, and MUSC in Charleston. Level II trauma centers include AnMed in Anderson and Grand Strand Regional in Myrtle Beach. Additionally, patients in areas bordering other states may be transported by helicopter to trauma centers outside the state including MCG in Augusta, GA, Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC, Memorial Medical Center in Savannah, GA and New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC. The medical helicopters are owned and operated by private companies, many of which have contracts with specific hospitals.

Upstate Helicopters

MedTrans One coverage

The above 3 helicopters are owned by MedTrans corporation and are dispatched on Palmetto 800 digital talkgroup 38368.

  • MedCenter Air Charlotte, NC. Dispatched on 155.325 PL 91.5. The helicopter also operates on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg trunked radio system as well as NC VIPER and Palmetto 800 digital talkgroup 25120.

Midlands Helicopters

  • LifeNet 1 Typically based at Irmo
  • LifeNet 2 Typically based at Camden
  • LifeNet 3 Typically based at Orangeburg
  • LifeNet 4 Typically based at Walterboro

SC LifeNet is a division of Air Methods Corporation. SC LifeNet was formed when SC LifeNet took over two helicopters in Columbia (Palmetto Health's CareForce and Providence Hospital's LifeReach). SC LifeNet now operates several helicopters out of bases in Irmo, Camden, Manning, Orangeburg, Walterboro, and Augusta. Dispatched on Palmetto 800 talkgroup 3888. Patient reports to Palmetto Richland occur on Palmetto 800 talkgroup 3920.

Lowcountry Helicopters

  • Meducare Air MUSC, Charleston. Dispatched on Palmetto 800 talkgroup 50368.
  • LifeNet Charleston 7 formerly OmniFlight. Dispatched on Palmetto 800 talkgroup 3888 and 41216.
  • LifeCare 5 based in Conway. Dispatched on Palmetto 800 talkgroup 3888 and 41216.
  • LifeStar 1 based in Savannah, GA. Operates on Palmetto 800 talkgroup 3888 when flying in SC.

Other Monitoring Tips

  • Helicopters often communicate with the requesting agency on the agency's VHF/UHF frequencies and/or Palmetto 800 talkgroups.
  • Palmetto 800 talkgroup 3856 "SC Air-to-Ground" is frequently used for helicopter-to-landing zone communications.
  • 155.340 Statewide VHF Ambulance to Hospital
  • Many of the helicopters can be heard communicating with each other on aeronautical frequencies, including Helicopter Air-to-Air 123.025.
  • On Horry County TRS the designated Air to Ground talkgroup is Tac 10 - 48368
  • Palmetto 800 talkgroups pulled from radioreference database:
    DEC HEX Mode Alpha Tag Description
    3920  0f5  LifeNet Hosp  LifeNet Helicopter to Palmetto Richland ER (Columbia) 
    6304  18a  LifeNet Helo  LifeNet Dispatch/Operations (LifeNet, LifeCare, LifeStar, Charleston 7) 
    25120  622  MedCenterAir  MedCenter Air (CMC Charlotte) 
    30064  757  Sptg Air-Gnd  Spartanburg Air-Ground (Regional One) & Air Reach (Florence) 
    38352  95d  GMH MedTrans  MTC FlightComm to GMH MedTrans/Dispatch 
    38368  95e  MTC FliteCom  MedTrans FlightCom (MedTrans 1, Regional 1, Lifeflight) 
    38384  95f  Aircare  SC Aircare 
    41216  a10  Omni/Lifecar  Omniflight Charleston and Lifecare (Horry) 
    50368  c4c  Meducare Air  Meducare Air (Charleston) 
    50928  c6f  Omniflight  Omniflight Helos (No longer used)