Air Angels always prepared

This story was originally published Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007.

The view is beautiful. But you don't want to be up here in this helicopter.

If you're with the Air Angels, that likely means you're fighting for your life on a stretcher between a nurse and a paramedic traveling 1,000 feet above the ground at 160 mph to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood or another Level I trauma center.

Everything's happening quickly. For the pilot and his crew, the adrenaline's pumping and there's no room for error. But what happens when these emergency responders are forced to respond to an emergency of their own?

Such was the case when pilot Steve Kamenir executed an emergency landing on his way to a fatal car accident near Sugar Grove at 3 a.m. Aug. 4.

"One minute the engine was there and the next minute it wasn't," recalled 53-year-old Kamenir, who lives in the tiny Lake County village of Mettawa near Libertyville.

One of his chopper's two engines was experiencing a "catastrophic failure," according to initial reports. The engine - which sits atop the helicopter - burst into flames.

Seven or 8 seconds later, Kamenir guided the chopper to the ground, avoiding people, power lines and vehicles to land in a field.

Witnesses and police marveled at Kamenir's prowess.

"It was absolutely phenomenal that he was able to land that upright," said Lt. Patrick Gengler, who arrived on the scene shortly after Kamenir's emergency landing. "We could have easily lost all three lives (the pilot, paramedic and nurse) in the helicopter and who knows how many people on the ground."

His colleagues continue praising him.

"He probably had no more than a second and a half to make a decision," said Del Waugh, another Air Angels pilot and a retired U.S. Army colonel. "Not only didn't he hurt any people, he didn't hurt the aircraft."

The veteran pilot shrugs off the compliments, saying he was just doing his job.

"We train for that kind of stuff," he said. "Sooner or later, something's going to happen."

Always prepared

During every flight, Kamenir must be prepared for any scenario. He had identified the possible landing zone way before the engine showed any signs of trouble.

"That was the only area that had no civilians. It was a dark hole that looked flat from the air," he recalled.

A full report on why the engine failed is expected soon. The engine's manufacturer, Honeywell Aerospace, is examining the engine.

It's unclear whether the helicopter can be repaired because the acidity in the foam used to put out the engine's fire might have caused structural damage to the chopper.

The chopper is one of four helicopters at Air Angels' hangar at Clow International Airport in Bolingbrook. All are fully stocked with oxygen tanks, drip bags and any other equipment typically found on ambulances.

Since 1998, Air Angels has provided critical care air and ground transport to fire departments and other emergency responders and hospitals in northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, northern Indiana and southern Michigan.

In addition to its fleet in Bolingbrook, the for-profit company operates fleets out of DuPage County Airport in West Chicago and the South Bend Regional Airport in Indiana.

Its service radius extends some 50 to 75 miles around each location.

Part of a team

Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora calls Air Angels a few times a month to transport patients. They're an important part of the hospital's team, said Nancy Pietrzak, the hospital's manager of emergency services.

"We rely on them greatly," she said. "We call them and they're quick to respond and get out here as weather permits."

Other local helicopter transport providers include Flight For Life, with crews in McHenry and Milwaukee, and hospital-based programs such as the University of Chicago Aeromedical Network and Loyola LIFESTAR in Maywood.

At Air Angels, pilots work 12-hour shifts seven days a week, with one week on and the next week off. Pilots alternate day and night shifts, working the 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. shift one week and the 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. shift two weeks later.

Kamenir prefers flying at night because it's more challenging. Limited visibility means pilots have to rely more on their instrument panel.

While on duty, pilots are not allowed to leave the building. Down time is spent lifting weights, filling out paperwork, sharing war stories and watching TV. Waugh, who lives just outside Indianapolis, and some of the other pilots who live far away live at the hangar during their workweek.

Unlike most pilots who earn their wings in the military, Kamenir was trained as a civilian, first as a mechanic and maintenance technician. That means he knows his "ship" - industry lingo for helicopter - inside and out.

His 20 years of flying experience include a short stint flying for a Los Angeles TV news station. Much of his time there was spent following car chases. He prefers the work he does now.

"It's a little bigger feeling of accomplishment than just shooting pictures for somebody," said Kamenir, a married father of a 13-year-old boy.

In addition to the fatal crash near Sugar Grove, Kamenir also responded to the Feb. 11 car crash in Oswego that left five teenagers dead and injured three others. Oswego firefighter Axel Rodriguez, who helped secure the landing zone for the Air Angels crew, shook Kamenir's hand when the two ran into one another at Rush-Copley last week.

"You are awesome," Rodriguez told Kamenir.

"I appreciate that," Kamenir said.

Leaving patients in the capable hands of the Air Angels provides a sense of comfort during emergencies, Rodriguez said.

"I give these guys a lot of credit," Rodriguez said. "These guys go into anything to get their patients."