A specialized MD902 helicopter outfitted with night vision technology operated by Ascent Helicopters in Parksville is now a dedicated chopper for the BC Ambulance Service. (BCEHS)

By Ian Holmes

Big addition

‘It’s historic:’ first Vancouver Island dedicated air ambulances land in Nanaimo & Parksville

Dec 9, 2020 | 5:51 AM

NANAIMO — A helicopter and plane are now responding to emergency calls and less serious trips to major hospitals from all over Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Sunshine Coast region.

BC Emergency Health Services announced the resources took flight in early November, which are accompanied by extra resources, including five additional critical care paramedics.

Lance Stephenson, Vancouver Island director for the BC Ambulance Service, said a plane is now based out of Nanaimo and a helicopter in Parksville, both of which are staffed by Nanaimo area paramedics.

“We’re not competing with all of the major call volume around the Vancouver and Interior area where those helicopters fly as well. So it’s a big boost to our resourcing here on the island,” Stephenson told NanaimoNewsNOW.

He said the additional resources are linked to the province’s COVID response plan.

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“When it’s not being used for that, we are able to use it for critical air transports and low acuity transports from isolated areas.”

Stephenson said their dedicated helicopter is assured to be in the air for at minimum the next three years, while the plane will be funded until at least the end of this fiscal year.

Stephenson said the chopper is “a huge step forward” for smaller isolated and First Nations communities where patients can now get to hospitals with higher levels of care much faster.

“To be able to get in there by helicopter quickly and efficiently certainly makes the difference between life and death,” Stephenson said.

He referenced a recent example where a rapid response from their Parksville based helicopter quickly hoisted a critically injured Nanoose Bay car crash victim to Victoria General Hospital in a matter of minutes.

“We estimate the time from the accident occurring to the patient being in the trauma centre to be around 35 minutes and that is life-saving.”

Flying other severely injured patients recently from Qualicum Beach and Nanaimo to acute care hospitals instead of in ground ambulance are other recent benefits of the new resources cited by BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS)

The BC Ambulance Service has 16 air ambulances throughout the province, according to BCEHS

Thirty additional pre-qualified carriers around the province provide emergency air support as needed.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes