By CHAT News Today

Hospital helipad officially operational

May 3, 2018 | 12:03 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — After months of delays and setbacks, the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital’s helipad is operational.

It was first approved by the province in 2012 but has taken a long time for get the proper certifications.

“Yesterday we actually had our final flight inspection to be able to receive certification from Transport Canada to be able to make our helipad operational,” said Michael Stanford, executive director of capital management with Alberta Health Services.

“It had to work right and it had to be efficient so there were some delays with that process,” said Steve Harmer, chief pilot and operations manager with Rangeland Helicopters, who operates for HALO.

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The new wing of the hospital opened in 2017 but the helipad had yet to receive the proper certification for operation.

Transport Canada had found an issue with the fire suppression system.

“It has to have proper coverage that happens up on the helipad and as part of that it’s just to make sure that, if we ever did have an emergency up here, it would be able to have proper coverage even under wind conditions,” Stanford said.

“It’s the safety of the whole process that is more important and the fire suppression system isn’t just for the safety of the helicopter. It’s for the safety of the hospital beneath the heliport,” Harmer added.

The helipad has several other safety features, including safety netting. Red and white lines are painted on the cement and lights surround the landing area so incoming choppers know where to land.

“I don’t think people realize just how much of a difference this will make,” said Harmer.

Harmer said HALO has a wide area to cover.

“Bassano to the west, north of Oyen, to the border to the south and Swift Current to the east,” he said.

He added that when the situations are dire, the helipad will save precious minutes.

“We’re now landing directly on the roof and we will have them down from the roof to ER in about two minutes,” he said.

“Given that we now have that ability to be able to have direct access for critical care patients for the hospital is remarkable for this community,” Stanford added.

Along with HALO, Stars and CFB Suffield also have access to the helipad, ultimately helping the people who can’t wait for an ambulance.

“With the amount of work and time that it took and some of the safety aspects that had to go into it, we now can basically provide the community with a better services,” said Stanford.