STARS helicopter ambulance

Details

Published on Thursday, August 11, 2016

Photo by John Drinkwater.

The Airbus Helicopter BK117 at the Neepawa Hospital landing site. Early evening on Wednesday, August 3, a Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS) air ambulance landed at an assigned site near Neepawa Hospital. The 40 minute rendevous flight from their base at Winnipeg International Airport (WIA) was requested to collect a patient for transfer back to (WIA) then on to Health Sciences Centre (HSC) via ground ambulance. The BK117 helicopter covers an approximate 250 km radius holding one critical patient or can be converted to hold two patients should circumstances require. Operating range can be extended further when refuelling is available. STARS captains have a minimum of 3,000 hours flying experience and are trained to fly with night vision goggles. The crew consists of a critical care nurse, an advanced life support paramedic and two pilots.