An additional tool towards the delivery of Air Ambulance service across the North Coast has been provided for pilots of the BC Emergency Health Services.
With the Air service operated by Helijet introducing the installation of a 1.7 million dollar investment into Night Vision capabilities to three of the four helicopters currently in operation in British Columbia.
The roll out of the program has seen the equipment installed on helicopters that serve Vancouver and Prince Rupert, a fourth helicopter which is in use in the Kamloops region will have its refit done later this year.
Health Minister Adrian Dix outlined the importance of the addition to the service on Thursday as part of the BC EHS announcement:
“This is an important investment to improve access to patient care in British Columbia,” ... “The addition of night vision technology also builds on recent investments we’ve made to improve access to ambulance services and will ensure a heightened level of safety for patients, flight crews and air ambulance paramedics,”
The new technology makes use of night vision goggles (known in the industry as NVG) and is used primarily by search and rescue groups as well as police.
The Night vision goggles, using image enhancement technology, collect all the available light, including infrared light, and amplify it so that the pilot can see in the dark.
The new equipment was put to use on April 20th as part of a service call for one of the Vancouver based craft.
We first made note of the project last September, when the plan to refit the existing fleet of helicopters was first outlined by Helijet.
You can review some of the details on the new equipment and the service in the province here.
More items of note related to Northern Health in the Northwest can be found on our archive page.
More background on the work of Emergency Service providers in the Northwest can be found here.
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