Landing Zone Protocols

Landing Zone Site Setup:

  • Perimeter 100 feet x 100 feet perimeter day or night.
  • Clear of trees, wires, emergency vehicles, signs, loose objects.
  • Surface:  smooth with no more than 13 degree slope.
  • People and all vehicles kept back 100 feet at all times.
  • Rotary beacons of emergency vehicles kept on to help pilot identify location.
  • Daytime:  Communicate by radio.  Do not use sheets or light materials which can blow around.
  • Nighttime:  Locate one light in each corner of perimeter and a fifth light positioned up-wind.  Do not use flares!
  • Nighttime:  Please turn off headlights as we are now using night vision goggles.
  • Do a FOD (foreign object debris) walk.

Landing Zone:

  • When helicopter lands, assign and position tail rotor guard.
  • Never approach or depart helicopter until directed to do so by the crew.
  • Always approach or depart helicopter forward of the cabin doors in full view of the pilot.
  • If helicopter is parked on a slope always approach or depart down slope.
  • Never allow personnel behind the cargo door or under the boom.
  • Never allow object over six feet long to be carried to or from the helicopter.
  • Do not allow vehicles to approach the helicopter closer than 100 feet.
  • No more than 4 people should approach the helicopter at one time.
  • Do not open or close doors on baggage compartment.
  • When in doubt -stay back

Request an LZ Class with Angelica Requenez at angelicar@haloflight.org


Patient Criteria:


(Disclosure: *Based on the recommendations of the American College of Surgeons)

Trauma Patients:

  • Blunt and/or Penetrating Trauma
  • Head Injuries
  • Possible Spinal Cord Injuries
  • Traumatic Amputation
  • Two or more Long-Bone Fractures
  • Near-Drowning
  • Electrical Burns
  • Major Burns or Smoke Inhalation
  • Multiple Patients
  • Severe Mechanism of Injury

Medical/Surgical Patients:

  • Symptoms of Clinical Shock
  • Unstable Myocardial Infarction
  • Anaphylactic Shock
  • Continuous Seizures
  • Unconsciousness
  • Stroke Patients
  • Patient Requires Minimal Out-Of-Hospital Time and/or
    Critical Care Monitoring