Narrative:

Ever since sep/tue/01, and with the tfr's in this area we have been handled by ATC (TRACON) in 2 different ways. For the prolonged tfr's we have been given discreet transponder codes and when a call came in, we would put in the assigned code and depart. We would contact ATC when airborne. At the times when a tfr was for a short period we would be allowed to go airborne and call for the transponder code when airborne. This changed during this tfr period. On that morning I came to work for shift change. I was debriefed by the outgoing pilot, checked WX and read the tfr's that were in effect for our areas of operations. We received a call for a motor vehicle accident, which was located 325 degrees/20 NM from the hospital. I took off and contacted approach and gave my location and destination, using my lifeguard call sign. I received my transponder code and was cleared en route. I completed the pick up and on the return trip was advised by ATC to contact TRACON upon landing. I was handled by approach until I landed at the hospital. At this time I thought TRACON was going to issue a discreet code for the rest of the day. After landing I went in the office and called TRACON and he advised me that I have to have the code prior to takeoff and that all other ways we were dealt with before were no longer in effect. The controller said that they had a 3 hour plan, but in our type of flying he did not want to use this. I agreed and said that I would call for a code on each flight. He said that they did not have a problem with what I did, but the higher auths did and were looking to violate pilots over this matter. My next flight which again was a motor vehicle accident, which was located 8 NM northwest of the hospital. On this flight I complied with what TRACON had requested and received my code prior to takeoff and the flight was completed without any problems. I understand that I am in error here and did misread the tfr that pertained to the area. I either received the wrong information from the previous shift pilot or misunderstood what he had said about the tfr. After reading the tfr, I still thought we were allowed to operate as we have done previously. I certainly take full responsibility for the misunderstanding and not reading this tfr correctly. We have always worked well with TRACON and have complied to everything that they have requested.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMS HELI PLT IS ADVISED THAT HIS PREVIOUS DEP PROC WITHOUT A DISCREET XPONDER CODE IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE DUE TO SPECIAL TFR RULES FOR THE NEXT 2 DAYS NEAR ZZZ, US.

Narrative: EVER SINCE SEP/TUE/01, AND WITH THE TFR'S IN THIS AREA WE HAVE BEEN HANDLED BY ATC (TRACON) IN 2 DIFFERENT WAYS. FOR THE PROLONGED TFR'S WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN DISCREET XPONDER CODES AND WHEN A CALL CAME IN, WE WOULD PUT IN THE ASSIGNED CODE AND DEPART. WE WOULD CONTACT ATC WHEN AIRBORNE. AT THE TIMES WHEN A TFR WAS FOR A SHORT PERIOD WE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO GO AIRBORNE AND CALL FOR THE XPONDER CODE WHEN AIRBORNE. THIS CHANGED DURING THIS TFR PERIOD. ON THAT MORNING I CAME TO WORK FOR SHIFT CHANGE. I WAS DEBRIEFED BY THE OUTGOING PLT, CHKED WX AND READ THE TFR'S THAT WERE IN EFFECT FOR OUR AREAS OF OPS. WE RECEIVED A CALL FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT, WHICH WAS LOCATED 325 DEGS/20 NM FROM THE HOSPITAL. I TOOK OFF AND CONTACTED APCH AND GAVE MY LOCATION AND DEST, USING MY LIFEGUARD CALL SIGN. I RECEIVED MY XPONDER CODE AND WAS CLRED ENRTE. I COMPLETED THE PICK UP AND ON THE RETURN TRIP WAS ADVISED BY ATC TO CONTACT TRACON UPON LNDG. I WAS HANDLED BY APCH UNTIL I LANDED AT THE HOSPITAL. AT THIS TIME I THOUGHT TRACON WAS GOING TO ISSUE A DISCREET CODE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. AFTER LNDG I WENT IN THE OFFICE AND CALLED TRACON AND HE ADVISED ME THAT I HAVE TO HAVE THE CODE PRIOR TO TKOF AND THAT ALL OTHER WAYS WE WERE DEALT WITH BEFORE WERE NO LONGER IN EFFECT. THE CTLR SAID THAT THEY HAD A 3 HR PLAN, BUT IN OUR TYPE OF FLYING HE DID NOT WANT TO USE THIS. I AGREED AND SAID THAT I WOULD CALL FOR A CODE ON EACH FLT. HE SAID THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A PROB WITH WHAT I DID, BUT THE HIGHER AUTHS DID AND WERE LOOKING TO VIOLATE PLTS OVER THIS MATTER. MY NEXT FLT WHICH AGAIN WAS A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT, WHICH WAS LOCATED 8 NM NW OF THE HOSPITAL. ON THIS FLT I COMPLIED WITH WHAT TRACON HAD REQUESTED AND RECEIVED MY CODE PRIOR TO TKOF AND THE FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY PROBS. I UNDERSTAND THAT I AM IN ERROR HERE AND DID MISREAD THE TFR THAT PERTAINED TO THE AREA. I EITHER RECEIVED THE WRONG INFO FROM THE PREVIOUS SHIFT PLT OR MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT HE HAD SAID ABOUT THE TFR. AFTER READING THE TFR, I STILL THOUGHT WE WERE ALLOWED TO OPERATE AS WE HAVE DONE PREVIOUSLY. I CERTAINLY TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND NOT READING THIS TFR CORRECTLY. WE HAVE ALWAYS WORKED WELL WITH TRACON AND HAVE COMPLIED TO EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE REQUESTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.