HALO Air Ambulance operates out of the Medicine Hat Regional Airport. File Photo/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

HALO helicopter dispatched to fire scene northwest of Irvine

Jul 31, 2024 | 4:47 PM

HALO Air Ambulance was dispatched on Wednesday to a fire scene call emergency northwest of Irvine, according to a post on X.

It’s the second time in five days that HALO has been sent to the Irvine area.

HALO was dispatched to a scene call emergency in the Irvine area on July 27.

No further details have been made available.

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The air ambulance had its mandate expanded to help with regional wildfire response in a new pilot project revealed on June 4.

The emergency helicopter will provide real-time aerial reconnaissance and rapid deployment of initial attach resource support to Cypress County Emergency Services during wildfire incidents, officials said at the time.

HALO chief executive Paul Carolan said then that the partnership represented a major step forward to improve community safety.

“By combining HALO’s aerial expertise with Cypress County’s frontline firefighting capabilities, we are better equipped to protect lives, property, and natural resources from the devastating impact of wildfires,” Carolan said.

Cypress County fire chief Jason Linton called the pilot project a “transformative initiative” and said response time should improve.

“Through this partnership, we are enhancing our ability to respond swiftly and effectively to wildfires, ultimately ensuring the safety and well-being of our communities,” Linton said.