A review of helicopter service to Castor’s hospital has led to a partnership in order to keep the flights coming.
Castor town council and Covenant Health, which operates the Our Lady of the Rosary Hospital, are working together on a plan that will allow STARS to continue landing near the hospital.
This followed a review by Alberta Health Services (AHS) that found a number of upgrades and modifications were necessary to bring the helipad up to current Transport Canada safety standards as well as accommodate STARS new H145 helicopter.
Clearing some tree tops, marking power lines and poles as well as how close the helipad is to the road are among the items that the town, AHS, Covenant Health and Transport Canada are working to address in order for continued service to be provided.
In a statement issued Feb. 13 by Covenant Health, “We hope to have most of the recommendations completed in the coming months, subject to available funding. Once completed, another review will take place to ensure the heliport meets all the required safety compliances.”
In the meantime, Castor council approved at its meeting Feb. 10 an interim compromise that will maintain the availability of the service.
This give town CAO Christopher Robblee, public works foreman Arajan Van Hienan and Castor fire chief Patrick Kelly the authority to close the roads around the helipad — located just east of the hospital across 47 St. — when the town is notified a flight is enroute.
During regular business hours, town staff will put up and staff barracades while after hours it will be the fire department that will get called to close off the roads and assist in any landing.
“It’s a service to keep the rural helipads open,” Robblee told the Castor Advance.
“We need to take steps to help them.”
He added this is done to keep the option of having STARS land near the hospital until a permanent solution is arrived at.
“This is an interim fix. Funds will have to be raised to move the helipad,” he said.
- with files from Castor Advance.