This is an article I wrote consulting with Robert Sumwalt from NTSB, who in 2009 was tasked with defining the epidemic of EMS helicopter fatal crashes. While 10-12 air medical crew members were killed pretty much every year the fatalities shot up to 35 in 2008. We at Pro Pilot chose to highlight the issue with this article. At the time I was flying for an air medical operator in the Phoenix area and thus had first-hand experience to bring to the problem.