Colorado New Medical Helicopters Presentation

Banner Health, December 09, 2019 - Patients in dire need of the fastest transportation depend on helicopter transport 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Now Northern Colorado residents can rest easy knowing that those helicopters are the safest possible, thanks to a partnership with Banner Health and Med-Trans.

Med-Trans and Banner Health have replaced the Med Evac fleet of three Bell helicopters with Airbus H125 model helicopters, which are to serve the organization’s bases in Boulder, Greeley, and Akron in Colorado, as well as surrounding areas. Med Evac’s fleet is the first full fleet in Colorado to be fitted with the latest – and government recommended – elements to enhance safety for the crews and people who fly with them.

Safety features include:

- Terrain alert warning system (TAWS)
- Dual hydraulics
- Crashworthy fuel tank
- Night vision goggles (NVGs)
- Crashworthy pilot seat
- Multi-function display (MFD) for weather
- Primary flight display (PFD) for instantaneous instrument readings and dual GPS
- Satellite tracking
- Radar altimeters
- Traffic alert and collision avoidance systems
- Jettisonable doors
- Fire detection system

In summary, the features focus on preventing fires after a crash and preventing injuries to the best extent possible to people on board. These measures were the target of federal legislation and a focus for many of Colorado’s elected leaders. Med-Trans and Banner are committed to providing the safest fleet possible for the pilot, flight nurse and paramedic who respond to each call and the patients they transport.

As Colorado’s Front Range population grows, more people than ever before are in need of this service. Be it a car crash on the eastern plains or venturing into the backcountry to ski, with the influx in travel and recreation, there is a rising trend in people getting into accidents and relying on Med Evac helicopters to save lives.

The Med Evac team is hosting a media event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 11 at the Greeley-Weld County Airport, for those interested in seeing the new helicopters first-hand and taking videos or photos. Med Evac staff will be on hand to answer questions and talk about the new safety features.