Parkview Health had an open house at the Fulton County Airport on Wednesday, July 17, for its new Samaritan 2 helicopter, a Leonardo AW169, which is based there. Shown with the helicopter are from left Parkview Health Director of Communications, EMS and Flight Services Chad Owen, Senior Vice President of Specialty Service Lines Trent Miller, Flight Paramedic Doug Atkisson, nurse Kipp Griffin, pilot Mike Smith, nurse Cindy Burns, Samaritan program manager Staci Gilbert, flight paramedic Carl Wireman, nurse Lora Horvath, lead mechanic Simon Baumgartner, EMS, Communications and Dispatch Manager Brent Steffen and Lead Pilot Clark Wendt.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

ROCHESTER — A brand new Leonardo AW169 helicopter is stationed at the Fulton County Airport to help those needing urgent medical care.

Parkview Health celebrated the commissioning of its new Samaritan 2 aircraft with an open house on Wednesday, July 17, at the airport. Parkview staff, local government officials and community members were in attendance.

Parkview Health Senior Vice President of Specialty Service Lines Trent Miller gave remarks at a brief ceremony.

“This has been a very long time coming. Getting this helicopter here today has been a struggle, and after we made the commitment well over two and a half to three years ago to do this, it’s been hung up in paperwork and it’s been hung up in Philadelphia, (Pa.), for over a year,” he said. “We are within the next couple of weeks getting this thing certified and serviced to fly missions for us, and we couldn’t be more excited.”

Miller thanked several people including the helicopter’s crew.

“Everybody has really done a great job to get us to this point,” he said. “We are so thankful.”

Miller referenced how the health system’s previous helicopter based in the county had helped save lives.

“I get emotional to hear the stories. I love to hear the stories and the impact that it’s had on lives and families,” he said.

Parkview Health Manager of Chaplaincy Lydia Miller then prayed to bless the helicopter and its crew and patients served.

Trent Miller said after the ceremony that “we’re grateful for the ability to continue the program.”

“Having a new helicopter to serve our mission for the next 30 years is amazing, and we’re so thankful to be able to serve the communities that we’re in,” he said. “We’re so thankful for the city of Rochester and Fulton County for the great partnership that we’ve had out here and the support that they’ve given us and even recently we’ve strengthened our commitment to the community (by becoming the county’s EMS provider).”

“We’re so grateful for the opportunity and the (Fulton County) Commissioners and the town for opening their arms for our crews and for Parkview to help provide care in this community. We’re very thankful for that,” Trent Miller said.

Parkview Health Director of Communications, EMS and Flight Services Chad Owen said the previous Samaritan 2 helicopter has been stationed at the airport since Feb. 1, 1999, flying more than 10,000 patients over that time.

“Our mission over the years really has not changed, especially from this side of the state, we needed capacity, speed, endurance, and the 169 really checked all the boxes once we found out that the (previous model) was not going to be produced, we knew we needed to move to another airframe,” he said. “With our pilots out now flying it, getting used to it, getting trained in it and everything, the performance is very similar, and so we’re not losing any performance by switching to (another) airframe.”

Owen said four pilots, four nurses and four paramedics will staff the helicopter.

He said the body of the new aircraft was roomier and “a little bit lighter.”

“This is a milestone for our program, but especially for the community,” said Owen. “It’s just a milestone to know that we have a dual-engine single pilot … aircraft that is here to serve the community.”

Fulton County Commissioners’ Vice President Rick Ranstead said county leaders were happy to have the new helicopter.

“We really support them 100%,” he said. “They care about the community. We’re glad to have them here for both (EMS and flight service). It makes a good combination.”

“It’s just everything working in sync and just awesome,” added Fulton County Commissioner Dave Sommers.