Carilion Clinic: June 2008

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Saturday, June 28, 2008

Helicopter Retrieval Mission Successful


About about 12:30 Saturday afternoon, an National Guard Blackhawk helicopter successfully used a sling to transport a disabled Virginia State Police helicopter from the a rooftop helipad 15 stories above the ground to a nearby hangar for repair.

The operation want exactly as planned - with crews attaching a tether to the disabled aircraft, flying a short distance and setting it gently down on the ground pad. The Blackhawk then made a second trip to the rooftop to retrieve the helicopter's rotor blades, which had been removed for the transport.

Click below for video. (sorry its a bit shaky)



Complicating the delicate operation, Saturday afternoon turned out to be one of the busiest Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation's Air Medical program has seen in recent memory. With the disabled helicopter occupying the rooftop pad and the Blackhawk on the ground pad, Carilion LifeGuard's two helicopters made four trauma flights. Another helicopter program also brougt in a patient bringing the total number of flights to5.




Right - Carilion Lifeguard lifts off for another trama call, with the National Guard Blackhawk in the foreground.







Carilion was able to land LifeGuard 10 on the pad next to the Blackhawk, with LifeGuard 11 and the third helicopter landing in a nearby soccer field. The patients were transported to the Emergency Department by ambulance.

The rooftop pad is now clear and open for air traffic. The disabled State Police helicopter is being repaired in the Carilion LifeGuard hangar.

Many thanks to the National Guard, Virginia State Police, and the Carilion Clinic team that participated in this successful operation!

The mission has been successfully completed

The operation is underway

Media Update - Helicopter Retrieval

The helicopter retrieval operation is planned for around noon.

National Guard Blackhawk Helicopter Arrives at Carilion Ground Helipad

Preparations underway to remove disabled helicopter from hospital roof

A National Guard Blackhelicopter landed on the Carilion Clinic Patient Transportatio ground pad this morning shortly after 10:00 a.m.

The helicopter and crew will lift a disabled Virginia State Police helicopter of the rooftop pad at Carilio Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where it has been stranded by a mechanical problem since Wednesday.

Click below for video of the Blackhawk's approach to the ground pad.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Media Update - Blackhawk Transport of Disabled Helicopter Scheduled For Saturday

A National Guard Blackhawk helicopter is scheduled to arrive at the Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation ground helipad at 10:20 a.m. Saturday morning (June 28th)

Friday afternoon the rotors were removed from the disabled medevac helicopter that has been sitting on the rooftop helipad at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital since Wednesday, when a mechanical problem prevented the helicopter from taking off following a patient transport.

After the National Guard helicopter lands at the ground helipad, the disabled helicopter will be fitted with a sling, and carried to the Carilion LifeGuard 10 hanger for repair.

Members of the media who wish to photograph the Blackhawk landing at the ground helipad should report to the Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation office between McClanahan at the railroad tracks. You will be directed to a safe area to photograph the landing.

Updates to the transport schedule will be posted here.

Media Update - Blackhawk delayed until tomorrow - other possibilities being considered

We learned this afternoon that the National Guard Blackhawk helicopter will not be able to fly to Roanoke until about 10:00 a.m. tomorrow at the earliest.

In addition, the option of using a crane to move the helicopter off the building and onto a tractor trailer is being considered.

No decision has been made yet, will update as soon as more is available.

Media Update - Blackhawk Delayed

There has been a delay in the arrival of the Blackhawk - could be a couple of hours or more. When we have an updated ETA, it will be posted here.

Media Alert - [updated info] National Guard to Retrieve Disabled Helicopter from Rooftop Helipad


A National Guard helicopter is enroute to Roanoke to retrieve a disabled helicopter from the rooftop helipad at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

The helicopter is scheduled to arrive at the Carilion LifeGuard 10 hangar off McClanahan between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Media arriving at the Carilion LifeGuard 10 hangar will be advised on the designated area to photograph the landing. Please ask for Allie Buth - she will be the media liason on the ground.
Additional info:
The Virginia State Police Helicopter landed on the rooftop pad last Wednesday with a patient. When they prepared to leave, the crew was alerted of a possible mechanical problem. It was determined that the safest course of action was to bring in a second helicopter to lift the disabled helicopter to the ground.
The disabled helicopter will be moved the Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation(CCPT) ground hangar, where it will be repaired.
During this time, Carilion Clinic's LifeGuard 10 and LifeGuard 11 helicopters will use the National Guard Amory Helipad - patients will be transported from the Armory to the hospital via ambulance.