MEDFORD, ORE — A new helicopter will soon be taking to the skies over the Rogue Valley.It’s the latest aircraft to be joining the fleet at Mercy Flights.
Mercy Flights CEO Doug Stewart unveiled the Bell 407GX-EMS helicopterchopper at the company’s headquarters at the Rogue Valley International Medford Airport Friday morning.
“It’s going to be a major community asset, it will meet the needs of Northern California and Southern Oregon,” said Stewart.
The $3.9 million aircraft, purchased by Mercy Flight, will replace a helicopter currently owned and operated by Timberland,and join 2 other planes along with a fleet of ground vehicles.
“Our goal is to be safe on scene, provide speed, and get our patients where they need to be,” said Laura Ramacciotti-Whyte, a registered nurse for Mercy Flights. She’s been with Mercy Flights for about a year now and says thenew helicopter will revolutionizetheirresponse time.
“We are hoping to do more procedures in the helicopter than rather than do them before we get in the helicopter, so we can have quicker scene times and get patients to where they need to be in a timely manner,” said Ramacciotti-White.
In addition to more room inside the aircraft the pilot will fly will be aided by state of the art technology.
“It has synthetic vision, it has a camera at at the back of the helicopter that shows the safety as far as take off, it’s also much faster than our current helicopter,” Stewart explained.
The cost to operate the new chopper will also be cut by nearly two-thirds. From $2,500 to $750, a savings they plan to pass on to patients.
Crews members still have to train on the new helicopter but it is scheduled to officially enter the fleet on September 1.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.