Portneuf Medical Center welcomes new and improved air rescue helicopter

Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello has a new style of Air Rescue helicopter which the hospital hopes can help treat and transport patients quicker.

Todd Blackinton, spokesman for PMC, said the hospital was doing some evaluations and looking at some possible changes and improvements. It decided to go with a new company to contract its Air Rescue program with. So PMC signed a contract with the company Classic Air, and with it, came the new and improved helicopter.

Blackinton says the goal is to help save lives so response time is key and this new helicopter can be a step toward improving that.

“It definitely just takes us to another level of care and that’s what we’re most excited about,” he said.

It takes patient care to another level because of all the improvements it has to offer over PMC’s last version.

“It’s bigger, it’s faster,” Blackinton described. “Twin engines, so that will help on hot summer days when it’s a little bit more difficult to get the lift that you need.”

The new twin engine helicopter is twice the size of the last helicopter at PMC. Twice the size means double the room for patients.

PMC said in its last helicopter, paramedics would often have to treat injuries lower on the body the best they could before getting in because, once on board, space was so limited that paramedics often didn’t have access to reach lower than the patient’s waist while in flight.

Now, with plenty of space in back, there’s full access to the patient all the way down for medics. But it also has another upside with extra space.

“It has the capability to move two patients if needed, as well as one additional crew member than before,” Blackinton continued.

Even the pilot for the helicopter, who has flown several models like PMC’s previous helicopter, said this new style far outperforms the old in every way.

Because PMC is a level two trauma center, Blackinton said they get complicated cases from all over. So getting the patients to, or even from, PMC as quickly and efficiently as possible, is key. The hospital feels this new helicopter will be one way to do that.

“It’s really all about the community so whatever the community needs, then we’re going to the best that we can to make sure we’ve got it and this is an example of that,” Blackinton said.

The new contract with Classic Air went into effect April 1 and will be in effect for at least the next three years.