Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services and Air Medical Resource Group (AMRG)/Gallup Med Flight are pleased to announce the re-opening of the rooftop helipad this week.
On June 22, AMRG Gallup Flight Program began operations at RMCHCS. It has been seven years since the RMCHCS helipad has been in use. Use of the helipad was suspended in 2010 because it did not meet new FAA regulations, but recent renovations have upgraded the helipad to meet current FAA standards.
AMRG will be providing a helicopter on the helipad with highly trained and qualified pilots, flight nurses and flight paramedics occupying AMRG quarters at Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital. The Helicopter will provide a rapid response to emergency calls and inter-facility patient transports in McKinley County and surrounding communities.
“A great deal of work was necessary before reopening the pad. New regulations require a 40 x 40 foot pad to accommodate today’s helicopters,” RMCHCS Chief Operating Officer William Kiefer said. “Our old pad was 30 x 30 feet. While renovating the pad, steel reinforcements, improved drainage, lighting and state-of-the-art fire suppression equipment were added.”
The helipad will allow for quick and efficient access to and from RMCH and decrease wait times for patients needing critical-care transportation.
As part of last year’s Charity Invitational, RMCHCS received a generous donation of $500,000 from AMRG to complete the re-fitting of the rooftop helipad.
AMRG/Gallup Med Flight is a leader in the air ambulance industry and has successfully served the four corners area for more than 30 years.
The helicopter, known as an A-Star, will complement the fixed-wing aircrafts currently based in Gallup. Gallup Med Flight has served this community since 1996.
“It’s important for the community to know this is a resource they can count on. The A-Star is known for its altitude performance and is ideal for flying in the high altitude of the desert southwest. In fact, this helicopter is the same as the production model that landed on top of Mount Everest,” Julia Azua, regional director for AMRG, said.
By Cynthia Dyer
RMCHCS Interim Marketing Director