Faster STARS helicopter will reduce travel time
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/11/2021 (1534 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A new helicopter for STARS Air Ambulance will help cut travel time between Brandon and Winnipeg hospitals for people in medical emergencies.
The helicopter landed for a showing at Brandon Municipal Airport Thursday afternoon.
The $13-million H145 will replace the organization’s aging fleet of aircraft. Flight nurse Alan Mart said it’s like getting a brand-new car.
“It’s like driving in a car from the 1980s compared to driving one now,” he said.
“There’s been a lot of technological advancements in that time.”
Inside is a stretcher and full trauma centre, including a ventilator for breathing assistance. The cockpit also has new technology to help pilots in bad weather and to ensure a smoother flight.
The helicopter can make the trip between Brandon and Winnipeg approximately five minutes faster than the previous model STARS was using, meaning it can get people to hospitals more quickly.
Colleen Mayer, director of donor relations and development, said that’s important in a medical emergency when critical minutes count.
In an emergency, an ambulance would meet the helicopter at the airport to transport the patient, as the Brandon Regional Health Centre does not have a helipad.
The plan is to convert the entire fleet of helicopters in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the same type, Mayer said, which will help reduce maintenance costs overall.
“This is going to serve us for a long time,” she said.
The new helicopter was only assembled three weeks ago, so the plan is to bring it into service at the beginning of December.
The stops in Brandon and Portage la Prairie on Thursday were to get pilots trained and help the medical crew get familiar with the new setup.
The process to get the new helicopter has been a couple of years in the making, said provincial director Grant Therrien, but it’s exciting to get to this point.
“What I see here with this helicopter is the next 30 years of reliable helicopter aircraft service,” he said. “Imagine how many patients we’re going to transport with it.”
The last year has been busy with transferring COVID-19 patients between hospitals, Therrien said, in addition to regular medical emergencies after vehicle collisions or other accidents.
STARS is still fundraising for the cost of the helicopter and has approximately $2 million to go.
“It’s been a little difficult during COVID times,” Mayer said.
“Manitobans have been great, they’ve been very generous and we’ve been thankful [for] what they’ve been able to provide us. I jokingly say this helicopter is being built with loonies and toonies because every dollar counts.”
» dmay@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @DrewMay_