20-Jul-2011Source: South Bend Tribune
WSBT’s cameras took an exclusive ride with MedFlight, one of the area’s only medical helicopters – see full story. Memorial MedFlight utilizes an EC 135P2 helicopter and is based at the South Bend Regional Airport, operated for them by Omniflight. The particular helicopter is registered N3842, and is serial number 0428... Read more
20-Jul-2011Source: Citizen's Voice
Geisinger’s Life Flight program is celebrating two milestones this month – the 30th anniversary of the program’s inception and 10 years of having one of its helicopters based at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Avoca (full story)... Read more
20-Jul-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Yorkshire Air Ambulance is looking ahead to the late summer when its current contracts for both pilotage and maintenance expire. Both aspects are currently provided by Medical Aviation Services, but YAA has decided to “do its own thing” and will employ their own Chief Pilot and are working towards their own Air Operators Certificate. Further... Read more
19-Jul-2011Source: Wales Air Ambulance
Helicopter charity Wales Air Ambulance is expanding its Welshpool-based operation from a five-day service to seven days a week, from 19thJuly. The lifesaving service, currently celebrating its tenth anniversary, is increasing its air cover for Mid Wales to 365 days a year following an ongoing fundraising drive by the charity. Wales Air Ambulance will announce... Read more
18-Jul-2011Source: Sandel
New Zealand HEMS operator also adds Sandel 4-ATI displays and AHRS in a technology upgrade for the first of its three helicopters Vista, CA, (July 13, 2011)—Sandel Avionics has announced that its new HeliTAWS wire and terrain avoidance system has been chosen by Hawker Pacific, Auckland, NZ, the operator for New Zealand’s Northland Emergency Services... Read more
18-Jul-2011Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that Intermountain Healthcare has taken delivery of the first of five GrandNew helicopters. The aircraft is both the first of its kind to be completed in Philadelphia with an EMS configuration and to enter operations with a U.S. customer. The GrandNew will be operated by Intermountain Life... Read more
18-Jul-2011Source: DRF Luftrettung
In the first half of the year 2011 the air rescue organization DRF Luftrettung flew a total of 19,189 missions, involving helicopter missions at 31 HEMS bases in Germany, Austria and Denmark as well as worldwide repatriations with its ambulance aircraft. This means a rise of 1,214 (8%) compared to the same period of the... Read more
7-Jul-2011Source: American Eurocopter
Grand Prairie, Texas – American Eurocopter announced today that it has appointed the 2011 Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award Blue Ribbon Committee. This committee will be responsible for evaluating the applications and determining the winner for the 2011 Vision Zero Aviation Safety award. This prestigious award was established by American Eurocopter with the purpose of... Read more
7-Jul-2011Source: French Tribune
Provincial Health Minister, Theresa Oswald has announced that they are planning to build a helipad at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre (HSC). The helipad will improve the effectiveness of the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) helicopter ambulance (full story)... Read more
7-Jul-2011Source: Ornge
Ornge, the provider of transport medicine services for Ontario, is pleased to announce the opening of a new satellite medical helicopter base at the Oshawa Municipal Airport later this year. The new facility, which will operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week, will be the home to Ornge paramedics, pilots and a new,... Read more
5-Jul-2011Source: Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance are working closely with HELP to enable a unique project to equip Southampton General Hospital with a purpose-built life-saving helipad. Up until now, emergency airlifts have had to stop short of the hospital – the best the Air Ambulance could do was to touch down in a council... Read more
4-Jul-2011Source: Calgary Sun
Calgary’s emergency services community is in mourning after a trail-blazing paramedic Eric Arnestad who helped lift STARS off the ground was killed in a Montana motorcycle crash. (Full story)... Read more
4-Jul-2011Source: DeBeers
The idea, which ensures that South Africans in the remotest regions of the country will have access to an emergency helicopter service without equal, is the brainchild of Oppenheimer, Chairman of De Beers and an intrepid young doctor, Dr Anchen Laubscher, Medical Director of Netcare 911. Dr Laubscher, who was a flying doctor at the... Read more
3-Jul-2011Source: Vanderbilt LifeFlight
Vanderbilt LifeFlight has changed its flight crew helmets to mirror those worn by Vanderbilt University football players. LifeFlight crew member’s helmets provide safety, hearing protection, and are also part of the communication system onboard the helicopter. Previous helmets were solid white. The new helmets are designed with Vanderbilt gold, a white stripe down the middle,... Read more
3-Jul-2011Source: HeliHub.com
London’s Air Ambulance launched a visually appealing new website on 1st July, but you cannot find it on Google! Try looking for it and the old URL LondonsAirAmbulance.com comes up, but that fails. Some careful detective work by HeliHub.com found it at LondonsAirAmbulance.co.uk – and it’s worth checking out. However, we would have expected that... Read more
3-Jul-2011Source: Peninsula Daily News
Susan Strand, one of the Army’s first women helicopter pilots, christened Sequim’s new emergency helipad near Olympic Medical Center’s Sequim Cancer Center on Thursday. [Full story]... Read more
30-Jun-2011Source: Chronicle Times
The Cherokee Regional Medical Center and LifeNet of Iowa, a critical care air medical transport company, announced today that a fully equipped, state-of-the-art medical helicopter will be based in Cherokee. According to CRMC CEO John Comstock, the aircraft will be tethered on the heli-pad at the CRMC, or in a leased hangar at the Cherokee... Read more
30-Jun-2011Source: Madison Courier
Air Methods returned to Trimble County on June 3 and wasted no time meeting the public. On June 4 the company, located next to the Bedford Fire and Rescue building between Bedford and Milton, had an open house that included food, drinks, music and a showing of the BK117 helicopter. (Full article)... Read more
28-Jun-2011Source: Govt of Manitoba
The province has signed a memorandum of understanding with the non-profit Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) to make the helicopter ambulance program permanent in Manitoba, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced today. “The STARS team has made a real difference in Manitoba’s flood fight and we thank them for their hard work,†said Oswald.  “Helicopter... Read more
28-Jun-2011Source: Watertown Daily Times
The general contractor on Samaritan Medical Center’s $61 million expansion has filed suit against a subcontractor who installed a helicopter landing pad, claiming the pad was not designed to withstand conditions resulting from freezing temperatures – see article... Read more
28-Jun-2011Source: Eastbourne Herald
Eastbourne District General Hospital is the most-used landing site for air ambulance and other emergency helicopters of any hospital in Sussex. The new pad can now accept helicopters both day and night from Air Ambulance, Police, Coast Guard, Air-sea Rescue and the military. The largest it generally takes is the Coast Guard AW139, but it... Read more
28-Jun-2011Source: STARS
Precision Drilling achieved a cumulative giving milestone of $1.8 million when they presented STARS with $1 million to be donated over the next five years. The organization is the first oil and gas service company to reach this level of giving to STARS. Precision Drilling’s logo was relocated on the STARS helicopter from the upper... Read more
27-Jun-2011Source: Lavoz Digital
The province will have five new helipads, particularly in Conil, Sanlucar Tarifa, Medina and Ubrique, to facilitate the transfer of patients in emergency situations.... Read more
26-Jun-2011Source: Air Medical Memorial
The Air Medical Memorial is a national memorial that honors flight crews who died in the line of active duty. This includes the pilots and medical crew members of both helicopter (HEMS) and airplane (FWEMS) operations. The memorial will be located southwest of the Denver metropolitan area. When open in 2012, the memorial will feature... Read more
26-Jun-2011Source: Star Tribune
The CEO of Life Link III, a nonprofit medical transportation consortium run by nine Twin Cities health care organizations, was arrested Thursday at the company’s Minneapolis offices and charged with six felony tax charges. Richard Carter McComb, 64, was booked into the Hennepin County jail, where his bail was set at $250,000. More details... Read more
26-Jun-2011Source: Centroc
“I was surprised and concerned to see that Central NSW does not have a 24 hour helicopter medical retrieval service,†said Cr Phyllis Miller, Chair of Centroc and Mayor of Forbes. “The current contract CHC Helicopters has with Ambulance NSW for medical retrieval services by helicopter is for 12 hours a day and only during... Read more
24-Jun-2011Source: Metro Aviation
Metro Aviation, Inc. recently completed two major STC programs on the Eurocopter EC130 selected by Medflight Ohio (Columbus) to replace a mixed and aging fleet. The first two completed aircraft were delivered to Medflight Ohio, on June 6th where Metro Aviation, Inc. will serve as the operator, replacing Omniflight Helicopters as the Operator. Following crew... Read more
23-Jun-2011Source: Lee County MedStar
Lee County, FL (June 22, 2011) – Lee County Emergency Medical Services (LCEMS) implemented a “stand down†of its MEDSTAR flight operations for a safety review at 7 a.m. Wednesday, June 22. MEDSTAR will resume operations at 7 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1 with its recently acquired Bell 430 helicopter. Bayflite has agreed to relocate one... Read more
23-Jun-2011Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that INAER, the global provider of aerial emergency services and aircraft maintenance, has signed a contract for ten AW169 helicopters. These aircraft will be used for various applications across INAER’s markets. The contract marks another outstanding success for the all new AW169 model, just a few months... Read more
22-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Air Ambulance operator Life Link III is operating a helicopter from Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar for a six-month trial starting this week. The helicopter and crew will be stationed at the hospital during daylight hours three days a week — Monday, Tuesday and Friday. At the end of this period an assessment will be... Read more
22-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Yorkshire Air Ambulance, the British EMS operator with two MD Explorers, have recently joined Twitter. In a growing trend among UK emergency services – both air ambulance and law enforcement – one by one all units are launching their presence on Twitter. Yorkshire Air Ambulance can be found @YorkshireAirAmb The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is an... Read more
22-Jun-2011Source: Med-Trans
MUSC Medical Center, located in Charleston, S.C., has finalized an agreement with Med-Trans Corp. for them to become their new aviation partner for their regional helicopter ambulance service. Terms were reached after an exhaustive selection process looking at significant factors such as aviation safety, complete customization of the program and excellent customer service. The region... Read more
21-Jun-2011Source: BBC
Police said the men burst into the charity’s office in Brierley Hill at around 0845 local time. A spokesman said they held 20 members of staff hostage with the Taser although it was not used on them. (see story)... Read more
21-Jun-2011Source: American Eurocopter
American Eurocopter has announced that Air Methods Corporation, the world’s largest air medical transportation provider, has ordered four AS350 B3 helicopters. These aircraft will update and expand its extensive fleet that already includes more than 240 Eurocopter helicopters. “This purchase highlights Air Method’s leadership in providing technologically advanced aircraft to meet the performance, mission and... Read more
21-Jun-2011Source: American Eurocopter
American Eurocopter announced that it has shipped the first EC155 bound for the University of Michigan’s Survival Flight program to Metro Aviation, the air medical service provider and helicopter completions specialist based in Shreveport, LA, for completion. This aircraft is the first of three EC155s to be delivered this year. It is currently scheduled to... Read more
20-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Devon Air Ambulance “DAA”, which runs the EMS coverage in UK’s county of Devon, was one of the earliest to take to the air in the UK nad has been one of the most successful too. DAA currently operate two EC135s, a 2003-build EC135T2 leased from Bond Air Services and a newer EC135T2+ which the... Read more
17-Jun-2011
A Bell 412 previously operated by New York Police Department has completed the trip from New York via Korea to Australia – See article... Read more
16-Jun-2011Source: Times Union
A client of a Texas lawyer who pleaded guilty to helping in a judge’s extortion scheme in Brownsville has sued to recoup more than $5 million in attorney fees.... Read more
15-Jun-2011Source: MedEvac Foundation
MedEvac Foundation and AAMS welcomes Clara Harrod for a two-month internship made possible through a grant to the MedEvac Foundation from the ExxonMobil Summer Jobs Program, administered by Volunteer Fairfax. Clara is a rising senior at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, where she volunteers as an EMT on a local Rescue Squad. During her... Read more
15-Jun-2011Source: Medical Aviation Services
Medical Aviation Services (MAS) and CEGA Air Ambulance are pleased to announce the signing of a teaming agreement between the two companies at the AirMed 2011 World Congress in Brighton recently. MAS, which is part of the Gloucestershire based Specialist Aviation Services Group, operates and maintains approximately twenty helicopters used in the Air Ambulance role,... Read more
14-Jun-2011Source: Sentara Healthcare
Leslie Peterfeso, a Sentara employee, sees the Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance launch and land every day at its home base at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Last December, though, Peterfeso became a Nightingale patient in a freak accident at her Suffolk home when a heavy tree limb her husband was sawing fell the wrong way and... Read more
13-Jun-2011Source: Bay of Plenty Times
The NZ$53,996 cheque to the Philips Search and Rescue Trust, a registered charitable trust that operates the rescue helicopter, was presented to Mr Brettkelly at a ceremony at the Ian Pain Memorial Hangar on the Tauranga Hospital campus... Read more
13-Jun-2011Source: Air Evac Lifeteam
Air Evac Lifeteam, an independently-owned air ambulance provider, has begun operations in Lancaster, Ohio. Air Evac Lifeteam crews provide on-the-scene medical care and rapid medical transport, as well as transfers between medical facilities. The new base opened Tuesday, June 7, and is located at the Pleasant Township Fire Department, 2929 Lancaster Thornville Road. It is... Read more
10-Jun-2011Source: Melfort Journal
Melfort residents will be able to check out the Shock Trauma Rescue Society (STARS) helicopters on Saturday, June 11. The STARS will be landing one of its medically-equipped helicopters at the Melfort Mall at 12:30 p.m.... Read more
9-Jun-2011Source: NEMSPA
In answer to the many questions regarding the FAA’s new heliport advisory circular rewrite efforts I would like to offer up the views of the National EMS Pilots Association (NEMSPA). Given the huge impact and importance this particular advisory circular has on the entire helicopter industry and our community at every level and the fact... Read more
8-Jun-2011Source: Ornge
On November of 2008, Ethan Day turned one month old, but it hardly was a time to celebrate. His mother Lisa rushed him into the ER at Markham Stouffville Hospital with what turned out to be a serious heart problem. When his paediatrician made the decision to send Ethan to the Hospital for Sick Children,... Read more
7-Jun-2011Source: East Anglian Air Ambulance
A new Chief Executive has been appointed to lead one of the region’s largest and most vital charities. Tim Page joins the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) having most recently worked for charities in London and Birmingham. He arrives with a wealth of knowledge and experience of leading successful teams and has ambitions to make... Read more
7-Jun-2011Source: ThedaCare
It was more than eight years ago, but Kyle Kienitz remembers Dec. 24, 2002, as if it was yesterday. At age 22, the U.S. Marine was home in Brillion on leave when the vehicle he was driving rolled over seven times, ejecting him and leaving him a paraplegic. ThedaStar responded to the scene and transported... Read more
3-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com
A new EMS operation is opening in the Danish provinces of Midtjylland / Nordjylland (Central and Northern Jutland), with a Eurocopter EC135 flown by Norway’s Norsk Luftambulanse. This is only the second air ambulance helicopter in Denmark, and the first one operational 24 hours a day. Although Denmark is a small country, its hospital structure... Read more
3-Jun-2011Source: DRF Luftrettung
The Berlin station of the air rescue organisation HDM achieved its 10,000th mission on the night of 31 May its 10,000. The control center Lausitz alerted the crew at midnight to a patient who was injured in a riding accident. A 43-year-old was in a barn being kicked repeatedly by a horse on the head... Read more
3-Jun-2011Source: Chicago Tribune
A proposed helipad for the new Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood should be safe enough “to perform approach and landing maneuvers,” an independent analysis conducted for the Illinois Department of Transportation says.... Read more
3-Jun-2011Source: AAMS
The AAMS Safety Management Training Academy (SMTA) is a robust training program on safety management for the air medical and critical care community. The program provides a comprehensive foundation in the science and application of the discipline of safety systems for current and future leaders in emergency medical transport. Participants will garner specific knowledge and... Read more
3-Jun-2011Source: Air Methods
Air Methods Corporation (Nasdaq:AIRM), the largest air medical transportation company in the world, announced today that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement (the Agreement) to acquire OF Air Holdings Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Omniflight Helicopters, Inc. (together, Omniflight). Omniflight provides air medical transport services throughout the United States and provides these services... Read more
3-Jun-2011Source: Daily Local
Brandywine Hospital spokeswoman Patti Jackson-Gehris said in a statement Thursday afternoon that the helicopter service is no longer needed due to a new flight service in the region and due to the county’s new trauma center at Paoli Hospital, which opened last year.... Read more
2-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com
ADAC, the German-based rescue organisation, has announced that it’s “Christoph Europa 1” base achieved its 50,000th mission on 18th May. Based at Aachen-Merzbrück airfield, the helicopter was on its 725th Use this year after being called to an emergency to Baesweiler. These impressive figures reflect a high daily operating frequency, which averaged five missions per... Read more
2-Jun-2011Source: Wales Online
The crew of the Wales Air Ambulance who plucked a badly-inured climber to safety has been nominated for a UK award. Paramedic Aneurin Heath, one of the crew onboard the Swansea-based helicopter, braved pounding waves and an incoming tide to rescue the patient.... Read more
2-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com
REGA, the Swiss Air Ambulance operator, has broken ground on a new base for Ticino, the southernmost canton in the mountaineous land-locked country. Located at Locarno airport, the new facility is expected to be operational in June 2012. EMS cover began in Ticino in 1980 with a small hangar, an Alouette III and two pilots.... Read more
1-Jun-2011Source: Yorkshire Air Ambulance
The Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) want to say a huge thank you to all their supporters who have helped them raise a massive £1million through their recycling scheme over the last 5 years. The life-saving Charity has been operating their successful recycling campaign since 2005, which is managed by their recycling partners Bag It Up... Read more
1-Jun-2011Source: YLE
The Social Affairs and Health ministry in Finland claims that insufficient information has been provided by Medi-Heli on how the grant was spent, and are thus seeking it be returned.... Read more
30-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com
St. Luke’s Health System’s bases at Twin Falls and Meridian are expected to upgrade their helicopters to Bell 429s in the near future. Like their current 430s, these will be leased from Boise-based Idaho Helicopters, and will half the lift-off time offered by the current machines to just four minutes. An exact date is not... Read more
30-May-2011Source: News of the North
The new helipad will be located adjacent to the Emergency Department on grounds that are currently being used for employee parking.... Read more
30-May-2011Source: CALSTAR
The BO105LS helicopter at the CALSTAR base in South Lake Tahoe has been installed with a $230,000 Super Lifter Kit, giving it enhanced aerodynamic performance, more speed, more efficiency and less vibration while in flight. For the few pilots who have had the opportunity to fly it, the BO105LS helicopter at the CALSTAR base in... Read more
30-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com
27 years after being launched, the “Christopherus 2” of the ÖAMTC air ambulance in AUstria launched its 25,000th mission. Based at Krems, the EC135 was flown by Gerhard Trötzmüller with doctor Robert Mosser and flight paramedic Armin Schwanzer to transport a 52 year old patient with severe head injuries in the Regional Hospital of St.... Read more
29-May-2011Source: Wake Forest AirCare
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – May 27, 2011 – Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centerbegan using its newest helicopter, AirCare 2, during the month that commemorates the establishment of the air ambulance service 25 years ago. AirCare 2 is based at the Elkin Municipal Airport to provide fast transport to calls from northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia.... Read more
29-May-2011Source: Del Marva Now
The Maryland State Police helicopter typically stationed in Salisbury will be relocated to the Ocean City Airport for weekends during the summer. Police say the switch means they can respond more quickly to medical crises in the tourist-packed resort.... Read more
29-May-2011Source: MedEvac Foundation International
MedEvac Foundation International has bestowed its 3rd annual Medical Transport Leadership Institute Scholarship to Mr. Christopher Hall, BS, FP-C, NREMT-P of PHI Air Medical Services. The 2-year scholarship is awarded based on active involvement, industry achievement level and commitment to critical care transport services, and is made possible through a generous donation from Metro Aviation,... Read more
29-May-2011
The 80,000-square-foot building will be built on county property on Tooley Road, just north of M-59 in Howell Township. The 13-acre site, the former Hubbel farm, has access to the Livingston County Spencer J. Hardy Airport.... Read more
29-May-2011Source: Calgary Herald
The STARS pilot testified that he couldn’t communicate with a fire department boat on the water below, but relayed information to Sutherland-Byers, who was on shore, who then passed on the information.... Read more
25-May-2011Source: DRF Luftrettung
DRF Luftrettung will take part in AIRMED World Congress, in Brighton (UK) from 24th-27th May 2011. Chief representatives from DRF Luftrettung’s flight operation, technical and medical department will give lectures during the scientific programme of the congress. The conference will present the latest facts on air rescue in the fields of emergency medicine, flight safety,... Read more
24-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com
Last Saturday Midlands Air Ambulance held its 20th anniversary ball at the Worcester Warriors’ Sixways Stadium, with one of their Eurocopter EC135s on hand to anchor the event. About 250 guests, including people who have been airlifted, attended. The service, which operates three EC135s from bases at Cosford, Strensham and Tatenhill, needs to raise £6m... Read more
23-May-2011Source: Verde Independent
Guardian Air celebrated its 10 years in the Verde Valley with tours of the aircraft and refreshments at the helicopter landing pad, just outside the hospital’s emergency room.... Read more
20-May-2011Source: Air Methods
The single helicopter based at Hagerstown flew 442 calls in the past year. The Air Methods staff of four pilots, one mechanic and eight crew members will transfer to Franklin County Regional Airport in Greene Township. No date has been set for the transition to occur, although “midsummer” seems likely... Read more
18-May-2011Source: AAMS
The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is pleased to announce the launch of MedEvac Hour, a public awareness effort to educate the populace on the unique and crucial role that MedEvac transport plays within the larger EMS system. MedEvac crews work daily to safely and efficiently serve the most critically ill and injured patients... Read more
16-May-2011Source: Gazette Mail
Small spaces and high speeds are a normal part of Becky Oakley’s day. The program director for HealthNet’s Charleston and Beckley service areas, Oakley oversees the emergency helicopter service that has transported more than 600,000 people since its start in 1986.... Read more
15-May-2011Source: STARS
STARS is celebrating a $5 million donation from Crescent Point Energy (CPE) toward the establishment of a STARS program in Saskatchewan in 2012, and at a recent presentation, STARS presents a model AW139 helicopter to CPE. STARS signed an agreement with the government of Saskatchewan to develop a helicopter emergency medical services program in the... Read more