A helicopter firm in Parksville has landed a major contract to help upgrade and operate BC含羞草研究社檚 air ambulance fleet.
Ascent Helicopters was awarded the $554.4 million contract to supply new aircraft to BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) to deliver helicopter emergency medical services.
含羞草研究社淚t has been a long process and for sure, we含羞草研究社檙e quite excited about it,含羞草研究社� said Trent Lemke, owner of Ascent Helicopters, which have been operating in the Parksville area for 17 years. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a good positive for the area, the community and the province.含羞草研究社�
The Vancouver Island company will be purchasing seven brand new helicopters for the British Columbia-based agency. They will be equipped with improved technology and equipment for operational efficiency.
One rotorcraft will be based here on Central Vancouver Island, in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area, while the other six will be located elsewhere in the province in Prince George, Prince Rupert, Kamloops and Vancouver. The new Leonardo AW169 helicopters are expected to be in service in the fall of 2024.
While the huge contract will bring long-term stabilization to the medium-sized helicopter company, what is crucial for Lemke is the ability to provide safe and efficient air transport of patients to hospitals around the province.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 what it brings to all the communities and to the province and to patient care,含羞草研究社� said Lemke. 含羞草研究社淭hat part is significant. They含羞草研究社檝e been very focused on trying to deliver a good, long-term solution. And I think they含羞草研究社檝e done that. And for the Parksville community you will have two full-time critical care teams and a helicopter based in the area for Parksville. It含羞草研究社檚 the first time that they will have been able to get patients from the Central Island to a major trauma facility in under an hour. That含羞草研究社檚 life-saving for the communities here.含羞草研究社�
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Ascent Helicopters is currently providing air ambulance service on Vancouver Island and in some parts of the Lower Mainland if required. Lemke said they have been extremely busy in the last couple of years, particularly during the pandemic.
含羞草研究社淚t was busier than I think was anticipated,含羞草研究社� said Lemke. 含羞草研究社淭he aircraft is out every day on calls. There含羞草研究社檚 barely a day it doesn含羞草研究社檛 fly. There含羞草研究社檚 no question in my mind that we have saved lives because of the quick response time. We含羞草研究社檝e had some pretty serious trauma situations close to our community where we含羞草研究社檙e getting there six to seven minutes with the critical care team. And we含羞草研究社檙e getting them to Vancouver or down to Victoria in under an hour, which is life-saving. If you can get those patients to those trauma facilities in that kind of period of time it含羞草研究社檚 a game changer.含羞草研究社�
Ascent Helicopters used to be stationed at Qualicum Beach Airport but Lemke said he moved out of there due to noise complaints. They now operate at Industrial Park on Springhill Road in Parksville.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 actually kind of sad,含羞草研究社� said Lemke. 含羞草研究社淓verybody appreciates the service but trying to find locations to work out of is difficult. Everybody likes to be saved by a helicopter but no one wants to be near a helicopter in our community.含羞草研究社�
Lemke said they will be looking for a location to build the facility for the new ambulance aircraft here on Vancouver Island.
含羞草研究社淲hether that含羞草研究社檚 going to be here in the Parksville community or if we have to go further down the road, we含羞草研究社檙e not entirely sure yet,含羞草研究社� said Lemke. 含羞草研究社淏ut we含羞草研究社檙e just trying to see where we含羞草研究社檒l be most welcomed and where we can operate out of.含羞草研究社�
