Air ambulance helicopters will be allowed to continue using the Sechelt Hospital helipad, thanks to Transport Canada’s approval of a new flight manual supplement for the Sikorsky 76C+ helicopters used by Helijet.
Sechelt was one of seven H1-rated hospital helipads in B.C. where Helijet had to suspend service because of a Transport Canada ruling in early August.
Most were in heavily built up urban areas, but Sechelt was included because of the hospital’s proximity to power lines and wooded areas.
Flights to Sechelt Hospital resumed Aug. 25 under a temporary exemption, but the announcement from BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) last week means the clearance is now permanent.
Losing direct flights, even for a short time, raised concerns for Sunshine Coast residents, because many trauma cases flown off the Coast are bound for Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), and the helipad at VGH was also under restrictions, which could have added several crucial minutes to the time it takes to transfer a patient.
BCEHS said 37 flights were diverted as a result of the original Transport Canada ruling, but it did not say how many – if any – involved Sechelt Hospital.
