From the battlefield to a farmer's field, night vision goggles are now in the hands of Air Care at University Hospital.
University Hospital took 9News on a flight to show the goggles in action on Wednesday.
"These are the latest generation night vision goggles. They started back probably in the Vietnam era when "tankers" used them basically strapping them on their face," said Air Care pilot Paul Boland through the 'com' system.
A former special operations pilot, Boland is no stranger to the goggles.
"It allows us to see obstacles and go in and out of unprepared landing zones and be able to see obstacles and other things that would be a hazard to us," said Boland.
Night vision technology magnifies existing light to produce a bright green image that allows the Air Care crew to see almost as though it were during the day.
In addition to Boland, we flew with Air Care's medical director Bill Hinkley, MD and flight nurse Susan Kuerze.
"We try to take the level one trauma center, heart center, stroke center, pediatric center out to the patient," said Hinkley explaining Air Care's mission.
Air Care at University Hospital has flown 28,000 flight missions for 25 years.
"Those things that for so many years we had some difficulty seeing are now very easily seen," continued Hinkley.
Both Hinkley and Kuerze also use night vision to assist Boland in detecting potential hazards.
"You get to help people and fly around the city," said Kuerze. "What could be better?"
Kuerze was in nursing school when she decided she wanted to be a flight nurse.
"My father was flown to University Hospital and I thought that was a pretty cool thing and I wanted to do that when I grew up," Kuerze said with a smile.
"The speed across the ground is about 150 mph," explained Boland. "It takes us from the time that they call us we get off the ground in about six minutes. So, we can be within anything close-in within literally five to 10 minutes."
The goggles cost University Hospital $15,000 per pair.
9News is told they've already saved a crew from a potential accident. While responding to a scene, a church parking lot was identified by people on the ground as a safe place to land. As the helicopter descended the pilot noticed with the help of the goggles a very thin wire above the lot that went unseen by those on the ground.
