Photo By Gino Mattorano | Evans Army Community Hospital’s helicopter landing pad is officially open for...... read more read more
Evans Army Community Hospital’s helicopter landing pad is officially open for business, thanks to the hard work of the hospital’s Facilities Management Division, Fort Carson’s 4th Engineer Battalion and the Directorate of Public Works.
EACH commemorated the event with a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 17 with the support of an HH-60 MedEvac Helicopter static display from the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division.
Maj. Gen. David Doyle, commanding general, 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson, cut the ceremonial ribbon signifying the official opening of the helicopter landing pad, establishing a permanent location for the helipad.
Prior to the Global War on Terror, there was a helicopter landing area near the hospital, but after the war began the area was identified as a location for Warrior Transition Battalion facilities. The helicopter landing area was removed to make room for the WTBs, according to Paul Russell, the EACH facility manager.
When Col. Edward Mandril took command of EACH in June 2022, the Army MedEvac pilot vowed during his time in command to rectify the challenges for civilian and medical aircraft to land at EACH. He worked closely with the EACH Facilities Management Division to find a way to make it happen.
“This state-of-the-art helicopter pad represents a significant milestone in our commitment to providing top-notch health care and safe and effective medical evacuation to our military personnel, their Families, and our retirees,” said Mandril. “This helipad stands as a testament of our ongoing commitment to excellence, readiness, and the well-being of our military community.”
According to hospital officials, the majority of MedEvacs are for EACH patients who require a higher level of care at a civilian health care facility. They are typically flown on civilian aircraft, but Army MedEvac helicopters, like those flown by the 4th CAB, can also use the new helipad. The proximity of the helipad to the emergency room entrance also streamlines the process for clinical staff and flight crews moving patients to and from aircraft.
During his remarks, Mandril also thanked the 4th CAB for its assistance selecting the optimal location for the helipad and ensuring all aviation standards were met.
“Your expertise has been instrumental in making this project a success and the static display of the HH-60 MedEvac helicopter adds a profound significance to this ceremony,” Mandril said. “It represents hope, life-saving capabilities and the dedication of our medical evacuation teams to provide enroute critical care to those in need. Having the MedEvac helicopter present underscores the importance of the helipad’s construction and signifies the seamless integration of our medical and aviation capabilities to provide the highest standard of care to those who serve our nation.”
Mandril also thanked the 4th ENG for its hard work and the DPW for helping to navigate regulatory requirements.
“As we look forward to the future, let us continue to work together, innovate, and strive for excellence in all that we do,” Mandril said. “Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this helipad a reality. Your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed. This achievement is a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together toward a common goal on Fort Carson.“
| Date Taken: | 05.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2024 12:51 |
| Story ID: | 471990 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 165 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, New helipad offers lifeline for EACH patients, by Gino Mattorano, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
