First in flight

There is a new member of the health care team at UF Health, and flying at speeds up to 180 mph, it just happens to be the largest, fastest and most advanced civilian aeromedicine helicopter in the Southeast. On May 31, ShandsCair welcomed the addition of an EC-155 helicopter, which replaced a smaller helicopter. The new helicopter is equipped to carry two patients and a three-member flight team, in addition to the pilot, up to 360 nautical miles, enabling specialized medical teams to transport patients to Gainesville from as far away as the Keys, Atlanta or Pensacola without stopping to refuel. “This helicopter expands our ability to transport even the most complicated cases — including those with ventricular assist devices, balloon pumps, patients requiring ECMO and bariatric patients weighing up to 500 pounds — faster and farther than ever before,” said Staccie Allen, R.N., director of the ShandsCair flight program. “The level of care we provide is significantly enhanced by the increased speed and distance
we now can travel.” — Andrew Ragsdale