Ride-A-Long Program | Life Flight

Duke Life Flight Ride-Along Program Overview

Duke Life Flight offers a ride-along program for students, physicians, nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists, pre-hospital providers, and emergency responders, providing an opportunity to observe and participate in critical care transport operations. The following outlines the requirements, expectations, and scheduling details for the program.

Program Requirements:

Eligibility: Must be at least 18 years old. Weight limit for flight participants is 200 lbs (90 kg). Ride-alongs are also available with ground units. Must be an EMS student, respiratory therapist, pre-hospital provider, fire fighter, 911 dispatcher, nurse, or physician to participate in the ride-along program.
Documentation: Submit the following information a minimum of 14 days in advance through the link below:
Requested date
Participant’s name, age, height, and weight
Verification of vaccinations
Photo ID
A brief statement on why you wish to participate

What to Expect:

You will be introduced to the duty crew and participate in a shift briefing with the flight team and/or medical teams.
After safety instructions, you will be equipped with a helmet and receive safety training.
Depending on shift requests and weather, your experience may include both air and ground transports.

Participant Responsibilities:

Arrive on time and be prepared to attend the shift briefing—failure to do so will result in ineligibility to fly.
Bring a valid photo ID, which will be copied for our records.
Call the Operations Center at 800-362-5433 or 919-681-5433 the morning of your shift to confirm there are no issues. Notify the Operations Center of any delays.
No-shows or late cancellations will result in removal from the scheduling queue.

Ride-Along Details:

Shift Times: Ride-alongs are scheduled during day shifts (0700-1500 for Henderson Base, 0800-1600 for Smithfield Base).
Frequency: Participants are limited to one ride-along per calendar year, with a maximum of two per five-year period.
Weather Conditions: In poor weather, ground units will be used instead of aircraft.

Dress Code:

Pre-hospital Providers: Work attire or polo and cargo pants.
Hospital Staff: Scrubs or professional attire—no clogs or Danskos.
Footwear: Closed-toe shoes are required.
Dress appropriately for weather conditions.

Parking:

Durham Base: Parking available outside the base at Golden Dr.
Henderson Base: Parking near the hospital helipad, between the helipad and road.
Smithfield Base: Park in the lot in front of the hangar.

Miscellaneous:

Photography is allowed during the ride-along.
Food is available at the Durham Base cafeteria. For Smithfield, bring your own lunch.
Entertainment items for downtime are encouraged.

Base Locations:

Durham Base: 100 Golden Dr, Durham, NC 27705 (Ground Only)
Henderson Base: Maria Parham Hospital, 566 Ruin Creek Rd, Henderson, NC 27536 (Air Only, Life Flight 1)
Smithfield Base: Johnston Regional Airport, 3223 Swift Creek Rd, Smithfield, NC 27577 (Air and ground, Life Flight 4)

Liability Waiver:

Participants must sign a waiver of liability prior to joining the ride-along program.

For any other questions, please contact Duke Life Flight at 1-800-362-5433 or 919-681-5433, or email Christina.shelton@duke.edu or John.fallen@duke.edu.