ScanRiverside.com

Can anyone advise what frequencies Lifeflight uses to talk to the hospital. In particular, I want to monitor Riverside Community Hospital so when I hear a flight inbound, I can go over and watch the helicopter land. Got a lot of free time lately now that I'm retired.

I'd start by looking in the Air band (111-128MHz I believe). Good luck

When I used to work at the old RGH, I could swear it was the HEAR freq, but I haven't heard anything on it when helicopters are at RCH. Thanks, wil try it.

Try 131.675 it is used by Mercy Air helos

More than likely you will not hear Mercy Air or Reach make contact with the hospital as contact is made by Paramedic personnel on the ground. The decision for air transport is made by on-scene personnel in conjunction with the hospital. All patient info is given to the base hospital prior to the patient being loaded, including ETA.
The possibility exists that the air ambulance dispatch can call the hospital if an updated ETA or other info needs to be passed on.

Life Flight, with the ugly green helicopters, was bought out years ago and used to use 155.400 for dispatch. Mercy and Reach use a lot of satellite comms, but as Brandon said, you can hear Mercy Air on VHF sometimes as well. Not sure about Reach, though.

Mark

Thanks, and I meant Mercy Air, not Lifeflight. Brain fart I guess.

As markb said, Mercy Air uses 131.675 as a company freq (a/c & disp). You won't hear them contact the hospital on this freq, but you might hear the a/c telling the base they're enroute to whatever hospital they're transporting to.
Since you're retired and have some spare time, monitor 155.265 for Riverside area amb to hosp. This is where the paramedics usually talk to the ER, which is where the decision to treat and transport is made.
<>< Mike

retiredFD07 wrote:As markb said, Mercy Air uses 131.675 as a company freq (a/c & disp). You won't hear them contact the hospital on this freq, but you might hear the a/c telling the base they're enroute to whatever hospital they're transporting to.
Since you're retired and have some spare time, monitor 155.265 for Riverside area amb to hosp. This is where the paramedics usually talk to the ER, which is where the decision to treat and transport is made.
<>< Mike

First, I thought that 155.265 was MEDNET 2. Second, is base the dispatching center?

To clarify, this is an excerpt from the Riverside EMS (REMS) protocol manual:

The following are descriptions of the County and State licensed radio frequencies utilized within the Riverside County EMS System and their specified usage.
1. The Riverside County Information Systems, Radio Division is responsible for the following frequencies:
a. MEDNET 1 (155.265)
This frequency is to be used by ambulances to advise hospital emergency departments (EDs) of inbound
patients.
b. MEDNET 2 (155.295)
This frequency is to be used by AMR to dispatch and coordinate emergency ALS ambulances within western Riverside County.
It is not appropriate to use the MEDNET frequencies for patient or medication orders unless the ALS unit is unable to establish base hospital contact via the UHF (COR) frequencies or a cellular telephone.

I hear mercyair use their VHF freq. listed in D.B. out here in coachella valley all the time. They contact base with info.. They use calcord at accident scenes out here or out in the desert rural areas.