A new all-weather hangar for air ambulances was unveiled in Colorado on December 8. The Thursday afternoon saw a ceremony for dedication and blessing by the St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center. The event celebrated the completion of a 3,348-squarefoot hangar intended to house its Flight for Life helicopter servicing Colorado.
Hangar to Protect Helicopter from Inclement Weather
The hangar is intended to protect Lifeguard 4, the dedicated air ambulance helicopter for St. Mary-Corwin, from harsh weather conditions. With dropping temperatures and frequent storms, there was an impending need for the center to house its air ambulance, which provides medical transport assistance to around 400 people annually.
In order to build a hangar for air ambulances, the medical center started a campaign one year ago. The campaign brought in plenty of donations from the public. They managed to finish the construction with $625,000, all of which came from public donations. Lifeguard 4 was established in 2004 and was previously the only helicopter from the Flight for Life fleet without a nearby hangar.
Hangar could Lead to Better Service by Air Ambulances
According to the St. Mary-Corwin Health Foundation’s Director of Development, cold weather could have an impact on the quality and speed of service for its air ambulance helicopter. Bad weather conditions could add 15 minutes of prep time since the helicopter needs to have cover when it’s time to respond to a call.
Previously, the Lifeguard 4 was operating from an off-site location during the winter. This has been known to cause delays in takeoffs and increases in response time. But with the brand new hangar, mechanics could work much faster in prepping the helicopter for takeoff when responding to a call. Flight for Life hopes to be able to deliver better service with the help of this new hangar.
