A helicopter firm in Parksville has landed a major contract to help upgrade and operate BC鈥檚 air ambulance fleet.
Ascent Helicopters was awarded the $554.4 million contract to supply new aircraft to BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) to deliver helicopter emergency medical services.
鈥淚t has been a long process and for sure, we鈥檙e quite excited about it,鈥� said Trent Lemke, owner of Ascent Helicopters, which have been operating in the Parksville area for 17 years. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good positive for the area, the community and the province.鈥�
The Vancouver Island company will be purchasing seven brand new helicopters for the British Columbia-based agency. They will be equipped with improved technology and equipment for operational efficiency.
One rotorcraft will be based here on Central Vancouver Island, in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area, while the other six will be located elsewhere in the province in Prince George, Prince Rupert, Kamloops and Vancouver. The new Leonardo AW169 helicopters are expected to be in service in the fall of 2024.
While the huge contract will bring long-term stabilization to the medium-sized helicopter company, what is crucial for Lemke is the ability to provide safe and efficient air transport of patients to hospitals around the province.
鈥淚t鈥檚 what it brings to all the communities and to the province and to patient care,鈥� said Lemke. 鈥淭hat part is significant. They鈥檝e been very focused on trying to deliver a good, long-term solution. And I think they鈥檝e done that. And for the Parksville community you will have two full-time critical care teams and a helicopter based in the area for Parksville. It鈥檚 the first time that they will have been able to get patients from the Central Island to a major trauma facility in under an hour. That鈥檚 life-saving for the communities here.鈥�
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Ascent Helicopters is currently providing air ambulance service on Vancouver Island and in some parts of the Lower Mainland if required. Lemke said they have been extremely busy in the last couple of years, particularly during the pandemic.
鈥淚t was busier than I think was anticipated,鈥� said Lemke. 鈥淭he aircraft is out every day on calls. There鈥檚 barely a day it doesn鈥檛 fly. There鈥檚 no question in my mind that we have saved lives because of the quick response time. We鈥檝e had some pretty serious trauma situations close to our community where we鈥檙e getting there six to seven minutes with the critical care team. And we鈥檙e getting them to Vancouver or down to Victoria in under an hour, which is life-saving. If you can get those patients to those trauma facilities in that kind of period of time it鈥檚 a game changer.鈥�
Ascent Helicopters used to be stationed at Qualicum Beach Airport but Lemke said he moved out of there due to noise complaints. They now operate at Industrial Park on Springhill Road in Parksville.
鈥淚t鈥檚 actually kind of sad,鈥� said Lemke. 鈥淓verybody appreciates the service but trying to find locations to work out of is difficult. Everybody likes to be saved by a helicopter but no one wants to be near a helicopter in our community.鈥�
Lemke said they will be looking for a location to build the facility for the new ambulance aircraft here on Vancouver Island.
鈥淲hether that鈥檚 going to be here in the Parksville community or if we have to go further down the road, we鈥檙e not entirely sure yet,鈥� said Lemke. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e just trying to see where we鈥檒l be most welcomed and where we can operate out of.鈥�
