CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today attended the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony of a new EC145e helicopter to serve the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) and Southern West Virginia. Senator Capito, CAMC Executive Vice President/CFO Jeff Sandene, and HealthNet CEO Clinton Burley all delivered remarks before taking a tour of the new aircraft. The EC145e helicopter will be based in Beckley in support of CAMC.
The EC145e helicopter will feature two patient transport capability, Instrument Flight Rules capability (ability to fly in and above the clouds), and the ability for specialty transports such as newborn and pediatric intensive care patients.
“Coronavirus has underscored how important our health is,” Senator Capito said. “Services made possible by this new helicopter will only expand the world-class service CAMC and HealthNet bring to more rural areas of our state. I’m excited to be a part of today’s dedication and ribbon cutting, and I know this new addition to the fleet will go a long way in improving the quality and efficiency of the care being offered.”
“This aircraft represents a $7.3 million investment by CAMC in saving lives in Southern West Virginia,” said Clinton Burley, president and CEO of HealthNet Aeromedical Services. “The addition of this helicopter, equipped with the latest aviation and medical technology, to our fleet exemplifies our continuous quest to offer the best service possible to the communities we serve.”
BACKGROUND:
HealthNet Aeromedical Services is headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia, and is a not-for-profit critical care transport system cooperatively owned and operated by Charleston Area Medical Center, Cabell Huntington Hospital, and WVU Medicine. The program operates eight helicopter bases in West Virginia and one in Kentucky and has safely transported over 85,000 patients since beginning operations in 1986.
In 2019, CAMC set aside $7.3 million for the purchase of the EC145e helicopter that will join the HealthNet Aeromedical Services’ fleet consisting of ten other aircrafts. Collectively, these helicopters cover the state of West Virginia and are stationed in Morgantown, Millwood, Huntington, Beckley, Buckhannon, Martinsburg, Lewisburg, and Moundsville.
Photos from the event are included below:
Senator Capito speaks with flight nurses at CAMC in Charleston.
Senator Capito participates in the ribbon cutting for HealthNet’s new EC145e Helicopter, which will service CAMC.
Senator Capito takes a look inside the new EC145e helicopter.
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