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EAGLE III is a comprehensive air and ground medical transportation program. We provide the best level of care to suit the patient's needs, from Basic Life Support up to a full Critical Care Team. This transportation is provided by ground ambulance, helicopter, turbo prop or jet aircraft from medical facilities or accident scenes. EAGLE III is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The EAGLE III program participates in a number of different types of medical transports including interfacility transports, helicopter scene responses in remote areas where ground time would be extensive, and specialty team transports, which includes a neonatal or pediatric nurse and nurse practitioner when necessary. |
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Wind farms have continued to be a hot topic throughout Wisconsin. Comments have recently been circulated regarding EAGLE III’s “policies” in regards to wind farms in our area. After research and discussion with the regulatory agencies involved, allow us to briefly outline EAGLE III’s position.
There are no specific FAA regulations or Wisconsin Air Medical Safety Council policies that prohibit the landing of helicopters near a wind farm. Our contracted helicopter vendor, Air Methods Corporation, operates hundreds of helicopters across the United States and they also do not have any policy prohibiting flight operations around wind farms.
However, as with any emergency situation, a blanket policy cannot be put in place that will address all circumstances. When EAGLE III receives a request into a wind farm area, the local fire department will be dispatched to set up a suitable landing zone (LZ) as they have been trained to do. Depending upon the conditions that exist at that specific time the wind turbines may or may not constitute a hazard. That determination cannot be made until the time of the call. A wind turbine directly along our departure path and in close proximity to the LZ would be a hazard. However, that same tower may not be a problem the next day if the winds are from a different direction.
EAGLE III will continue to serve patients in our area regardless of the development of the proposed wind farms. As at any scene, EAGLE III may be forced to land a short distance away due to power lines, trees, wind turbine farms or other hazardous situations at the LZ. The patient would then be transported by ambulance to the aircraft.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Lt. Shaun Stamnes at 920-469-9779.
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