James R. Barker Medivac

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Re: James R. Barker Medivac

by Guest » November 17, 2017, 8:55 pm

If the person needed more acute care he would have been airlifted to Thunder-bay

Re: James R. Barker Medivac

by Guest » November 17, 2017, 6:15 pm

The choice to airlift the patient to Marathon, Ontario could have also been dictated by the fuel status of the helicopter that apparently flew from Traverse City to the James R. Barker in northern Lake Superior. I believe these helicopters have a maximum range of around 900 miles, but in actual operation and with hovering (the account says the helicopter hoisted the patient aboard) its actual operational range would be much less. Other factors that would affect the helicopter's range would also be its loadout, weather conditions, and the actual fuel consumption of its power plant among others. With my father serving with a rotary aviation unit in West Germany, Georgia and Washington State I grew up around helicopters and they are very delicate machines far less forgiving than fixed wing aircraft but with their own advantages and limitations. In addition, any airlift of a patient has to have the goal of providing the stricken individual with care at a medical facility on the ground as quickly as possible. Oh well, just adding my 2 cents.

Re: James R. Barker Medivac

by MikeCDN » November 17, 2017, 8:41 am

Here are some reasons as to why things happened the way they did:

They have some well equiped facilities for trauma in these northern communities. This is becuase they provide services to the mines - where traumtic accidents do occur.

The other thing is that the emergency happened on Canadian waters - so one would have to go to a Canadian facility.

My guess would be is that the person was stabilized at Marathon and then transfered to a bigger facility. Often here, in Ontario, people get flown to larger centres like Sault and Toronto with our air ambulance serive, Ornge.

Just my take on this from living on the Canadian side.

James R. Barker Medivac

by Marc » November 17, 2017, 7:18 am

I'm reading the press release from the USCG posted on the news page, and I am baffled as to why the crewmember was taken to Marathon, Ontario. It has got to be the first time in history that someone with a serious medical emergency was taken by helicopter TO Marathon, Ontario.

While we don't know the person's medical condition, the press release states that the USCG flight surgeon recommended the person be evacuated to a trauma center. Certainly there is no trauma center anywhere close to Marathon, and its a 5 hour drive to Sault Ste. Marie. This is hardly evacuating him in a "timely manner" as stated in the press release.

Obviously I don't know all the facts and I am not trying to bash the USCG air crew, which usually does an outstanding job, it just seems very odd that they would take someone requiring immediate medical attention to such a remote place as Marathon. Does anyone have any insight on this?

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