Infrastructure at hospitals and airports can make all the difference

One morning last July, Rachel Cyr woke up with what felt like indigestion. Although she had no history of cardiac problems, she began to worry when it didn’t go away in a few hours. She called her daughter who took her right to the local emergency department at Millinocket Regional Hospital. Shortly after arriving, Rachel had a heart attack. She can remember the emergency staff talking about transporting her to Bangor, and recalls wanting to stay in Millinocket, perhaps dreading the long trip in an ambulance. What Rachel didn’t realize was that the hospital had just completed construction of a new helipad and she was about to be a part of the inaugural flight.

When LifeFlight of Maine began operations in 1998, most hospitals didn’t have a helipad and limited weather reporting restricted where and how often LifeFlight could transport patients. At rural hospitals without helipads, patients like Rachel Cyr didn’t have the same access to critical care as patients in Bangor, Lewiston or Portland. Today, thanks to funding from a state transportation bond, nearly every hospital in Maine has a dedicated helipad, and advanced weather reporting systems are being installed across the state.

For Rachel, this infrastructure project meant the LifeFlight helicopter could land safely and conveniently right next to the hospital, and transport her quickly to Eastern Maine Medical Center where she could receive specialty treatment from cardiologists.

“I can vividly remember the nurse on the flight. She was very calm and comforting. She held my hand for the entire trip, and even checked in on me while I was at the hospital,” recalls Rachel.

After her surgery in Bangor, Rachel returned to Millinocket where she continues her recovery through cardiac rehab and regular visits to her local doctor. Thanks to the rapid transport to definitive cardiac care, she is already back to sewing and solving crossword puzzles while she watches her favorite team, the Red Sox. She looks forward to the day when her doctor gives her the green light to return to her true love, gardening.

CREW MEMBERS
CommSpec Bill Bradley : Pilot Scott Blake
Nurse Missy McCann : Paramedic Rick Miller