MIDDLE
RIVER, Md. (October 5, 2012)—Governor Martin O’Malley today joined
Colonel Marcus Brown, officials from AgustaWestland, representatives
from the state’s emergency medical services community, and other
officials to unveil the first new Maryland State Police medevac
helicopter, an important step forward in replacing Maryland’s aging
medevac helicopter fleet.
“The most sacred responsibility
that any government holds is to protect the lives of its citizens. It’s a
statewide effort that involves partnership at every level, which is why
we’re fortunate in Maryland to have such talented and dedicated first
responders,” said Governor O’Malley. “That’s why we chose to invest
$121.7 million for 10 new state-of-the-art Medevac helicopters that will
replace our current fleet. Together, with the men and women of
Maryland’s law enforcement, we’ve driven down violent crime, homicides
and property crimes to 30-year lows. And through our actions together,
we can create a better, safer tomorrow.”
Maryland has a $121.7
million contract with AgustaWestland for 10 helicopters. Other
helicopters are in production and will arrive soon. Officials with the
Maryland Department of Transportation coordinated the procurement
process. The new helicopters contain the latest in avionics and safety
equipment, including terrain awareness warning systems, night vision
compatibility, cockpit voice and video recorders, radar altimeters, and
advanced instrument flight rating capabilities, all recommended by the
Federal Aviation Administration. They provide more space in the patient
and cargo areas, enabling flight paramedics to have better access to
patients and to carry rescue equipment on board at all times.
“This
new helicopter and the others that will follow, represent an incredible
improvement to public safety capabilities in Maryland,” Colonel Marcus
Brown said. “They will provide a safer aircraft for our crews, with more
room and equipment for our flight paramedics to care for the injured. I
thank Governor O’Malley who, with the support of the General Assembly,
fulfilled his promise to the State Police, our public safety partners,
and to the people of Maryland. These new aircraft will be put to good
use and will, along with our EMS partners, continue the amazing
lifesaving response and care Maryland is known for.”
The new
aircraft on the way will replace Maryland’s aging fleet of 11
helicopters, 10 of which are now more than 20 years old. Increasing age
and flight hours result in increasing mandated inspections and
maintenance, meaning the aircraft are increasingly unavailable for use.
In
addition, the new aircraft also have satellite tracking and downlink
video capabilities, as well as interoperable communication. The twin
engines on the helicopters are more powerful than those on the exiting
aircraft, which remains critical during a hoist rescue operation. The
new aircraft will enable the crew to fly the aircraft away if an engine
fails during a hoist operation. Currently, the aircraft will stay aloft
if an engine fails, but the hoist rescue must be terminated before the
aircraft can leave the scene. According to AgustaWestland, the new
helicopter is the fastest in its class, has the largest cabin space of
any helicopter in the same weight class, and is the only helicopter in
its class that meets or exceeds all the latest civil certification
safety requirements.
The new helicopters arriving in Maryland
will not be placed into immediate service. State Police helicopter
pilots and flight paramedics will be undergoing extensive training on
the new aircraft. In addition to pilots learning the new aircraft
requirements, the flight paramedics must also become familiar with the
new medical equipment and configurations in the aircraft. State Police
Aviation Command officials anticipate the new aircraft to be deployed in
actual missions sometime in early 2013.
Maryland’s medevac
program began in the State Police in March 1970, in cooperation with Dr.
R. Adams Cowley and the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
Since then, more than 138,000 patients have been flown to lifesaving
care at one of Maryland’s network of trauma and specialty-care
hospitals.
Source: Office of the Governor
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment