Boston MedFlight's Communication Center is a dedicated operations center, staffed by certified EMT's, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Communication Specialists are responsible for coordinating and facilitating the transport of critically ill and injured patients by fixed wing, rotor wing, or ground services. They also serve as a resource for other helicopter and critical care services. Incoming calls are answered and directed to the appropriate vehicles by means of VHF and/or UHF communications. Additional information is communicated through a pager system. Communications Specialists maintain an ongoing database of landing zone information and updated telephone lists.

Training for a Communications Specialist position consists of a competency based 8-10 week comprehensive orientation program, in which the communication specialist is paired with a preceptor. During the orientation process, aircraft operations, safety, communications equipment and resource utilization objectives are met. Communications Specialists are encouraged to participate in patient transports, cross train with other flight programs, and make a site visit to the Hanscom Flight Control Tower.

In addition to computer skills, communications specialists are trained in the use of an online, continuous weather tracking system used to relay weather information to pilots in command and monitor a satellite tracking program. Within the first year of employment, all communications specialists complete the National Association of Airmedical Communications Specialists (NAACS) program and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO).

In conjunction with consortium hospitals, Boston MedFlight has developed a roster system for patient transport to appropriate institutions. Eligible patients include patients flown from the scene and patients in need of an interfacility transport originating from an emergency department or operating room, in which an accepting physician has not been identified. Once our Communications Center has identified the need for utilization of the undesignated roster system, the Communications Specialist will notify the accepting physician and facilitate physician to physician contact. Our Communications Specialist will also notify the appropriate hospital in the instance of a scene transport where additional information is later transmitted to the receiving hospital through Boston CMED (Centralized Emergency Medical Dispatch).

Presently, there are five rosters, which rotate among the appropriate hospitals. The rosters fit the following categories of patients: adult trauma, adult med/surg, pediatric trauma, pediatric med/surg, and burns.

Efforts to develop pre-designated landing zone assignments among town fire departments and Boston MedFlight personnel have resulted in the development and identification of specific landing zones which serve as a guide to coordinate the transfer of patients from the scene in a timely and safe manner.

The landing zone guide is updated continually as landing zones are added or deleted for reasons such as construction projects, suitability, and hazards.