Ornge takes delivery of first Powered Aero Loader stretcher system

Ornge Press Release | March 7, 2019

Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 1 seconds.

Ornge, Ontario’s provider of air ambulance and related services, is pleased to announce the arrival of its first Powered Aero Loader stretcher system.

Ornge brought a mockup of an AW139 with Helimods' zero-lift Powered Aero Loader to this year's Air Medical Transport Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Dayna Fedy Photo
Last October, Ornge brought a mockup of an AW139 equipped with Helimods’ zero-lift Powered Aero Loader to the 2018 Air Medical Transport Conference in Phoenix, Ariz. The first stretcher system has now arrived at Ornge and should be in service by this spring.  Dayna Fedy Photo

The new system features a self-loading power cot with an equipment bridge which is able to hold all medical devices in all phases of flight. The centerpiece is the HeliMods Powered Aero Loader (PALTM), a zero-lift, push-button operated powered stretcher system for rapid loading and unloading of land ambulance stretchers into air ambulance helicopters.

“We’re very excited to take delivery of the first Powered Aero Loader stretcher system,” said Andrew McCallum, president and CEO of Ornge. “We anticipate the first system will be in service in northern Ontario starting this spring, which will ensure that our paramedics have the best and safest possible equipment and work environment to deliver their life-saving care.”

The PAL systems will be entered into service on a rolling schedule throughout 2019 and 2020 at each of Ornge’s eight helicopter bases. The installation process is estimated to be complete by early 2020.

“It’s fantastic to have achieved this significant milestone of successfully delivering the first Powered Aero Loader to Ornge,” said William Shrapnel, founder and managing director of HeliMods. “It’s been such a great collaboration with the Ornge team. We have worked hard together to ensure the solution meets their needs, as well as those of their crew and of course the Ontario community. We’re very excited to be part of such a progressive program and look forward to seeing the PAL technology in service in the coming months.”

Ornge paramedics are beginning to receive training on the new system as it is installed into each airframe.

Quick Facts:

  • Ornge operates a fleet of 12 Leonardo AW139 helicopters from eight bases across the province of Ontario.
  • Ornge air ambulance helicopters perform more than 4,500 patient related transports each year.
  • HeliMods has developed solutions that are used all around the world and help over 25,000 distressed, sick and injured people every year.
  • HeliMods is recognized as one of the most experienced organizations providing special mission products and solutions and has extensive experience developing systems for AW139 helicopters.

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