<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<chapter num="01" heading="Helicopter Communications" title_num="30" subtitle_num="07">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Helicopter Communications to SYSCOM.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Definitions.</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>“7AG60” means the conventional 700MHz National Interoperability channel designated for commercial and non-allied helicopter communications with SYSCOM.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>“7AIRMED” means the conventional 700MHz multicast radio system operated by MIEMSS to provide medical communications with commercial and non-allied helicopters.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>“EMRC” means the Emergency Medical Resource Center operated by MIEMSS for the Emergency Medical Services Communications System.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(4)">
        <text>“EMSCS” means the Emergency Medical Services Communications System.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(5)">
        <text>“HELIMED1” means the Maryland FiRST statewide radio system talkgroup utilized by Maryland State Police Aviation Command helicopters as a secondary means of medical communications with EMRC.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(6)">
        <text>“Hospital” means an institution that is required to be licensed as a hospital by the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene pursuant to Health-General Article, §19-301, Annotated Code of Maryland, and COMAR 10.07.01.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(7)">
        <text>“MIEMSS” means the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems established pursuant to Education Article, §13-503, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(8)">
        <text>“Patient transport” means the helicopter transport of a patient from one hospital to another or to or from a specialty center.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(9)">
        <text>“Specialty center” means a hospital specified by MIEMSS to be a specialty referral center or trauma center participating in the Emergency Medical Services System.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(10)">
        <text>“SYSCOM” means the Systems Communication Center operated by MIEMSS for the Emergency Medical Services Communications System.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(11)">
        <text>“SYSCOM-TG” means the Maryland FiRST statewide radio system talkgroup utilized by Maryland State Police Aviation Command helicopters as a secondary means of communications with SYSCOM.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Notice of Patient Transports.</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>The pilot or other crew member of a helicopter conducting patient transport or landing at a Maryland hospital or specialty center shall notify SYSCOM as provided in this section.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>The pilot shall contact SYSCOM directly using law enforcement frequency 44.74 MHz, tone code 110.9 Hz, SYSCOM-TG, or 7AG60.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>The programming information for 7AG60 is:</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(4)">
        <text>The pilot shall inform SYSCOM 15 minutes before landing at a hospital or specialty referral center or as soon as practical, whichever is earlier.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(5)">
        <text>The pilot shall inform SYSCOM again within 3 minutes of the estimated landing time at the hospital or specialty referral center.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(6)">
        <text>In the initial communication with SYSCOM, the pilot shall:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>Provide identification of the agency or helicopter service making the patient transport; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>Indicate the destination and estimated time of arrival.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(7)">
        <text>Within 3 minutes after departure from a hospital, specialty referral center, or the scene of an accident where the patient was picked up for transport or delivered after transport, the pilot shall notify SYSCOM of the helicopter's departure point, route, and estimated time of arrival at its next destination.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(8)">
        <text>Helicopters which do not have frequency 44.74 MHz, tone code 110.9 Hz, or 7AG60, but have air-to-ground telephone capability shall call SYSCOM at (410) 706-7814 via air-to-ground telephone to provide the data required in §B(4)—(7) of this regulation.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(9)">
        <text>Helicopter services not having operational communications on any of the radio or air-to-ground telephone services described in this section shall contact its base medical or dispatching operations center to have patient and estimated time of arrival data forward to SYSCOM at (410) 706-7814 via a conventional public switched telephone.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="C.">
      <text>Medical Communications.</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Upon the helicopter medic’s request for medical communications, SYSCOM shall instruct the helicopter medic to switch to medical frequency 47.66 MHz, tone code 100.0 Hz, HELIMED1, or 7AIRMED.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>The programming information for 7AIRMED is:</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>The medic shall provide the nature of injury or illness and the related information necessary to coordinate the receipt of the patient at the hospital receiving facility.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(4)">
        <text>Helicopters which do not have communications capability on medical frequency 47.66 MHz, tone code 100.0 Hz, or 7AIRMED, but have air-to-ground telephone capability shall call SYSCOM at (410) 706-7814 via air-to-ground telephone to provide the data required in §C(3) of this regulation.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(5)">
        <text>Helicopter services not having operational communications capabilities on any of the radio or air-to-ground telephone services described in this section shall contact their home base medical or dispatching operations center to have patient and estimated time of arrival data forwarded to SYSCOM at (410) 706-7814 via a conventional public switched telephone.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">Education Article, §13-509(d), Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date: March 24, 1986 (13:6 Md. R. 684)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Chapter revised as an emergency provision effective May 31, 1991 (18:12 Md. R. 1318); revised permanently effective August 19, 1991 (18:16 Md. R. 1813)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Chapter recodified from COMAR 14.17.01 to COMAR 30.07.01, August 1997</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01 amended effective November 10, 2025 (52:22 Md. R. 1096)</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulation .01B amended effective December 19, 2005 (32:25 Md. R. 1946)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>