The Athabasca Heathcare Centre was the landing point for the newest, fastest and sturdiest of the STARS Air Ambulance helicopter fleet last Wednesday: the (Augusta Westland) AW139.
STARS helicopters provide fast transport of critically ill patients when fixed-wing aircraft like those used in the medevac service are either unavailable or cannot access certain areas.
The new helicopter is faster and smoother than its predecessor, the Eurocopter BK117, according to Greg Cars, the STARS pilot who flew the new chopper to Athabasca as part of the STARS Operational Outreach Program.
“It’s about 30-per-cent faster, smoother, and it will fly in more severe weather conditions,” said Cars, referring to the “huge advantage” of the AW139’s de-icing capabilities that the BK117 did not have.
Cars said until now, STARS turned down about 50 trips each winter, which he called “significant,” because of adverse conditions the BK117 could not handle. Now, he said, they may not have to turn down any trips.
“Those trips in the past, we just turned them down automatically. Now, we can say, ‘Yes, we can go if you need us,’” said Cars, who is into his 21st year of flying.
STARS slotted a full hour for the flight crew to explain various features and assets of the new helicopter to the local ground crew.
Cam Heke, STARS manager for media and public relations, said Athabasca is a “priority stop” because STARS made 25 trips to the Athabasca Heathcare Centre in 2012. He said this represents a “relatively high number” of trips.
One key feature of the AW139, which was certified by Transport Canada for operational use in late July, is its increased range, which allows it to take back-to-back missions without refueling.
Emergency responders and medical personnel gathered in the grass field on the east side of the hospital just past noon to see the helicopter land and its crew give directions to experts on the ground.
Ground crew members included Athabasca RCMP and Colinton Volunteer Fire Brigade members (who guided the aircraft down by radio and visual communication), as well as healthcare centre facilities maintenance and engineering personnel.
Athabasca County councillor Doris Splane and regional fire services coordinator Bryan Hall were also in attendance.
The helicopter’s speed when entering Athabasca was around 170 knots with a tail wind, or more than 300 kilometres per hour.
The $16-million helicopter includes a $2-million medically outfitted interior even better equipped than a ground ambulance.
“It does have some extra supplies that a ground ambulance doesn’t have, because we have the option to bring a (transport) physician with us,” said Cars.
The helicopter is even outfitted with equipment to do blood work, which some ground ambulances are without, said STARS flight nurse Lori Coutts.
The AW139 fits up to two patients, as does the BK117. Its capacity may be the same, but there is more room for the patients.
According to Corinne Edwards, base director (Edmonton operations) and former flight nurse, another key feature of the AW139 is the side-loading capability, which is safer than the rear loading of the BK117 that places personnel and patients in close proximity to the tail rotor.
“Our training is ‘critical care transport training,’ and it’s a little different from ‘advanced life support,’” said Edwards. “Most of the ground ambulances’ highest level is advanced life support.”
She said the transport physician is as qualified as an emergency physician that works in a trauma ward. The transport physician may ride along if the need for their expertise is anticipated.
The normal air speed of the AW139 is 150 knots, or 280 kilometres per hour, compared to the BK117, which flies at around 120 knots, or 225 kilometres per hour.
Compared to the BK117’s 40-minute flight time from Edmonton International Airport to Athabasca, the AW139 takes only 30 minutes — trimming around 10 minutes, or 25-30 per cent depending on tail wind, off of travel time.
The AW139 was co-piloted by Andre Rioux (who flew the helicopter out from Athabasca); flight nurses Sherry Brooks and Lori Coutts and flight paramedic John Ernst were also on board.
The AW139 made stops in Fort Saskatchewan and Waskatenau before reaching Athabasca; it was later scheduled to make stops in Barrhead, Onoway and Leduc County before returning to Edmonton.
Athabasca was listed as the ninth stop on a list of more than 50 stops over an eight-day period for the STARS Operational Outreach Program.
The program is designed to “familiarize hospital staff with the new helicopter and (allow them to) have a look inside, see what kind of equipment we can bring into the community, to have a better understanding of loading and unloading of patients, and also with the emergency services — primarily with firefighters, but also RCMP and EMS — (ensuring they) have a good understanding of working in and around that helicopter when we’re landing directly at the scene of an emergency,” said Heke.
The AW139 that flew into Athabasca last week is based in Edmonton and is one of two of its kind in the STARS Alberta fleet; the other is still in New Jersey undergoing completion of the medical interior. The second AW139 will be stationed in Calgary upon delivery early this fall.
Previously, the Alberta fleet consisted of four BK117 helicopters covering bases in Calgary, Edmonton and Grande Prairie. This worked out to one helicopter for each base, plus an additional backup aircraft at either the Edmonton or Calgary base to avoid service disruption if one of the other aircraft required maintenance.
Adding to the services already provided by the fixed-wing medevac service, STARS signed a 10-year affiliation agreement with Alberta Health Services (AHS) on April 1, 2010, according to Edwards.
She said as part of the agreement, AHS covers 25 per cent of operating costs; the rest is derived from fundraising, lotteries and calendar sales, as well as donations from individuals, community service groups and corporations.
STARS established its first base in Calgary in 1985. It has bases in Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Regina, where BK117s also operate.
The AW139 costs $3,500 per hour to operate, according to Cars.
