A $50,000 donation by Boundary Ford has completed the fundraising campaign for the new helipad.
The $350,000 project had Husky Energy donating $50,000 and the Lloydminster Regional Health Foundation raising the rest through community support.
On Thursday, the cheque was presented by Boundary Ford to the foundation, along with a viewing of the newly constructed helipad. Fleet Manager at Boundary Ford Bob Troup says this is one of the most important things Lloydminster needs.
“The community really needs it. We’re a growing community, we’re an oil filed community where people can get badly hurt instantly and we need this.”
Provincial Director of Operations for STARS Saskatchewan Cindy Seidl says the new service will save them and patients an estimated 40 minutes, which can mean life and death in some situations.
“Currently when we come into Lloydminster we land at the airport and we have EMS come out and pick up our team and transport them into the hospital we’ll then stabilize the patient and transport back out to the hospital.”
The STARS Air Ambulance will now be able to land right across from the Lloydminster Hospital and take the patients right to the hospital without EMS.
The concrete and asphalt have been laid for the helipad and all that’s left for construction is completing landscaping, lights and signage. Director of Emergency Health Services for Saskatchewan Health Authority Chris Thiele says after the construction process is complete an approval process will take place.
“Our consulting company that designed the heliport will come in and do their initial inspection to make sure it meets code and all the Transport Canada guidelines. Once they think that’s done Transport Canada will come in and that’s outside of our control, but we’re hoping by September or October these things will be wrapped up.”
The helipad is expected to be fully operational by this fall.