A brand new 24/7 emergency response helicopter is coming to Fort McMurray and Northeastern Alberta.
Phoenix Heli-Flight is paying $6.5-million to purchase and crew the helicopter.
It will then be up to the government and the industry to ensure the service remains funded.
Several energy producers encouraged Phoenix to provide this service that will be up and running in the second quarter of this year.
The industry is looking at keeping its employees safe and needed a night-capable helicopter to do so.
There were also many fatalities on Highway 63 that brought the need of a medical helicopter to the fore front.
After a decade of consultations and proposals it still will get no help from Alberta Health.
For the past 21 years, it worked with the fire department to provide and ER helicopter, though was limited to the daylight hours.
The helicopter is a Eurocopter EC135.
Until it is up and running service will continue to be provided by the Fort McMurray Fire Departments paramedics and one of Phoenix’s existing day-use helicopters.
January 4th, 2013
