Hospital helipad requires alternate landing spot
One of Transport Canada’s requirements to authorize the use of the hospital’s new helipad is an alternative landing area in the parking lot.
“We have mapped out an area and we have given it to Transport Canada. It will take up a bit of a green space and not more than 20 parking spaces,” said Larry Raymond, director health facilities branch, Alberta Infrastructure.
The northeast corner of the parking lot, in front of the new wing, has been identified as an appropriate area for this, said Raymond.
“We’ve added so many parking stalls to that site it shouldn’t be an issue,” said Raymond, who estimates the alternative landing area will take “a few weeks” to complete once work commences.
An inspection by a Transport Canada representative took place March 21. Deficiencies were identified verbally. Alberta Infrastructure is waiting for a formal document outlining Transport Canada’s requirements before work can start, said Raymond.
“There was nothing that should be a significant worry to us,” said Raymond. “We’ve just sent Transport Canada another notice this week requesting that list. We’re hoping to have it this week so we can get to work on it.”
When Alberta Infrastructure has completed the aspects it is responsible for, Transport Canada will then work with Alberta Health Services for any other requirements/procedures, said Raymond.
The helipad is located on the roof of the sixth floor of the new wing dominating the skyline and is easily identified by a windsock. From the helipad, there is a ramp of about 40 metres that will be used to wheel patients to and from the trauma elevator vestibule. The elevator takes patients directly to the floor where the operating rooms are located.
Receiving patients via the helipad at MHRH has never happened before. AHS is notified by central dispatch of the arrival of a patient and given medical details to make the necessary preparations, said Brenda Ashman, director critical care and medicine for AHS at MHRH. Simulation training will take place prior to the helipad being used to ensure the correct systems are in place.
There are two designated flight paths for the heliport — one to the northeast and one to the southwest. The helipad has been designed and constructed to accommodate STARS twin-engine helicopters and HALO’s single-engine helicopter.
That HALO will be able to transport patients directly to the hospital is a “game changer,” Dale Thacker, executive director for HALO, told the Palliser Triangle Health Advisory Council on Monday. No longer will it be necessary to transport a patient by road ambulance from the airport to the hospital.
Whether a patient is transported by STARS from MHRH to Calgary or taken to the airport by road ambulance to be transported in a fixed-wing air ambulance would be decided by the sending and receiving physicians.