Latest news with #HALOAirAmbulance
Global News
4 days ago
- Health
- Global News
HALO Air Ambulance expands fleet of helicopters
For years, HALO Air Ambulance has been a lifesaving service in the skies above southern Alberta. It's a resource nobody wants to use, but when they do need it, it's the most welcome sight in the world. 'Very grateful and will always be grateful for HALO and what they've done for my family,' said Aaron Fleming, whose daughter was rescued by a HALO crew in 2020 when on a ski trip in Elkwater. '(HALO made sure) that we were able to continue planning family vacations rather than a family funeral.' He says his daughter, who was 16 years old at the time, hit a tree when on the slopes and, if it wasn't for HALO, things would have turned out drastically different. 'She would have died if it wasn't for HALO.' Story continues below advertisement His daughter's rescue came during a rough year for the air ambulance as they were on the brink of shutting down entirely. 'In 2020, when the announcement was that they would potentially have to close their doors due to no funding, it was something that tugged at my heartstrings,' said Fleming. He had, earlier in the year, made a significant donation to HALO, believing it was too valuable of a resource to risk losing, but when HALO needed him, he and his family needed them. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'HALO saved her life when we were trying to save HALO.' Now, five years after the organization was nearly grounded for good, HALO Air Ambulance has doubled its fleet with the addition of a new helicopter. View image in full screen HALO-1 is the newest addition to the HALO Air Ambulance fleet of helicopters. Jordan Prentice/Global News 'It's a BK 117, which is the same helicopter we've been flying for years (but) it has bigger engines, so more performance,' said Paul Carolan, CEO of HALO. Story continues below advertisement He says being able to move as the crow flies, avoiding roads while cruising at over 250 km/h makes a huge difference when seconds can be vital to saving a life. 'In a perfect world, we would never fly, but that's not the world we live in. We do live in remote and rural Alberta and we don't have all the resources that the big centres have, so this is the way that we can get people where they need to go as quickly as possible,' said Carolan. The new machine is a serious improvement for HALO, especially when operating in the arid summer conditions around Medicine Hat. 'It doesn't fly any faster or any higher, but in hot temperatures or with heavy loads, it gives us better performance for landing on scene and landing at hospitals.' It's more than just being an air ambulance, however, as HALO's range also keeps community paramedics in their towns for future emergencies. 'When that call comes in, we can get those advance care paramedics to the person and that has a byproduct of leaving that community paramedic in that community. Now, instead of having a long transport time to Medicine Hat, Lethbridge or Calgary, we land on scene, work with that team, take the patient and get them where they need to go but that paramedic and that ambulance stay in their community. So, if another call comes in, now you still have that resource.' Story continues below advertisement The new helicopter is going to take the name of HALO-1, becoming the primary ambulance for the team. Meanwhile, the older HALO-2 will be used as a backup if maintenance is required on HALO-1. View image in full screen HALO-2 is the older aircraft with HALO Air Ambulance. Jordan Prentice/Global News Completing its first emergency call on June 29 in the Bow Island area, HALO-1 has officially entered the service. 'We can be there when the call comes in and truthfully, that's all that matters,' said Carolan.
Hamilton Spectator
08-07-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
HALO's new helicopter took flight on June 29
HALO Air Ambulance's latest helicopter is taking to the skies, coming online officially as the new HALO-1. Introduced at a special event in February, the new craft began use for emergency medical calls as of June 29, marking a significant operational milestone for HALO. On June 29, HALO-1 completed its inaugural emergency medical scene call to the Bow Island area, followed by an aerial reconnaissance mission of a wildfire in partnership with Cypress County Emergency Services three days later. Shortly after takeoff, HALO-1 was rerouted to another emergency call south of Dunmore, which HALO said highlights its agility and vital role in regional emergency response. 'Our partnership with HALO is truly invaluable. Because of this collaboration, we were able to stage our resources directly at the fire hall, which resulted in our response time being seven minutes faster,' said the Cypress County Emergency Services fire chief Jason Linton. 'When you are facing fast-moving fires and rapidly evolving emergencies, those minutes can make all the difference,' said Linton. 'We are proud to work alongside partners like HALO to keep our region safe.' The craft is also HALO's first fully-branded aircraft, featuring designs of southern Alberta's sweeping prairies, rolling hills and the rocky mountains, as well as the iconic Saamis Tepee. 'One of the greatest advantages of this highly visible design is that when this aircraft takes to the skies, there is no doubt it is HALO,' said Paul Carolan, HALO's chief executive officer. 'With its striking orange accents and distinctive markings, it is instantly recognizable, reassuring communities that help is on the way.' The previous helicopter will continue to operate as HALO-2. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
