From Black Hawk to HEMS: Decision-Making Where It Matters Most with Kodey Bogart

About this episode

The episode features Kodey Bogart discussing high-stakes decision-making in Helicopter Emergency Medical Services and her experiences in aviation and public service.

Today’s guest is Kodey Bogart, a pilot whose career bridges frontline combat aviation and the demanding, safety-critical environment of civilian helicopter operations. Dr. Kodey Bogart, AvD., is a former United States Army Warrant Officer and aviator who flew the Black Hawk on medical evacuation missions. A decorated combat veteran, she has been awarded two Air Medals and the prestigious Sikorsky Rescue Award. She also made history as the first female Pilot in Command in the Florida Army National Guard, qualified for day, night, and night vision goggle (NVG) combat operations. Kodey’s experience spans aviation safety, flight instruction, maintenance, test flying, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), and aviation law enforcement. She brings both technical depth and operational insight to every mission she undertakes. In this episode, we explore the realities behind high-stakes decision-making in HEMS, how crews manage risk under pressure, where safety systems hold up or fall short, and what pilots and clinicians can learn from each other in critical moments. Beyond aviation, Kodey contributes to public service through Operation Helo, a charity addressing gaps in disaster…

People in this episode

Host: Eoin Walker

Guest: Kodey Bogart

Topics covered

• aviation safety
• HEMS
• decision-making
• risk management
• public service
• combat aviation

Keywords

• Black Hawk
• aviation
• medical evacuation
• safety-critical
• combat veteran
• air ambulance
• decision-making
• risk management

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Operation Helo

Books & works: children's book series

Places: Florida, United States

More episodes of Pre-Hospital Care Podcast

• Major Incident Management: Lessons from the Frontline · June 11, 2026 · 1h 8m
• From Frazzle to Flow: Mental Focus, Rehearsal, and Peak Performance in Pre-Hospital Care with Dr Stephen Hearns · June 8, 2026 · 54 min
• Grief and Bereavement: Understanding Loss in Pre-Hospital Care · June 4, 2026 · 59 min
• Aeromedical Medicine: The Flying ICU. Where Physiology Meets Aviation with Dr Ina Schmidt · May 30, 2026 · 30 min
• Neurodivergence in Pre-Hospital Care: ADHD and Autism with David Birch · May 25, 2026 · 41 min
• After the Shock: Life Beyond Cardiac Arrest with Paul Swindell, Zoe Hitchcock and Noah Cohen · May 21, 2026 · 43 min