Along with a fire apparatus and ambulance, the Pivotal EMS aircraft is another tool for first responders and has the potential to become an additional component within the EMS system. (Photo by author.)
I recall when the William Perry Shultz Training Center in Elk Grove, California, was being planned back in 1995. The developing vision of the future included the current formal training grounds with a proper tower and props for live burns, confined space, vertical ventilation, and confined space rescue.
Fast forward 30 years, and a lot has changed in southern Sacramento County, driven in large part by the ever-increasing 911 call volume from 2,750 instances in 1995 to 24,609 in 2024. The growing impact of the nearby capital city has expanded the number of stations from four to nine and ambulance count from three to eight, with the addition of a squad for Mobile Integrated Health.
Yet much has remained the same, starting with the dedicated, forward-thinking personnel of the Cosumnes Fire Department. Over the decades, the agency has been recognized for its leadership in EMS technology, including being one of the first in the state to have an EMT-II qualified member, establishing a transportation ambulance service, and early implementation of defibrillators, pulse oximetry, carboxyhemoglobin monitoring, and CPAP.
At daybreak, two Pivotal EMS aircraft await the arrival of the Demo Day participants at the Cosumnes Fire Department Training Center. (Photo by author.)
Recently, around 35 members of the region witnessed a whole new level of what is possible. As an advocate of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), I wanted to connect the firefighting community with the concept of AAM and one company in particular, Pivotal, which has an aircraft suited for EMS use, specifically for early on-scene Advanced Life Support (ALS) operations.
Pivotal designs, develops, and manufactures a unique aircraft in the electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) category, which I believe has the potential to save lives by reducing response time to medical emergencies. To get an idea, please watc