Officials discuss possibility of building heliport for Fort St. John hospital

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Discussions have started around whether or not a heliport will be brought back to the Fort St. John hospital.

Officials from the City of Fort St. John, Northern Health, the Peace River Regional District, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, and BC Ambulance — among others — met at the Fort St. John Hospital Friday morning to discuss the possibility of having another heliport here.

“Basically, people (were) just getting an understanding of what the options are, and duties and responsibilities associated with the management and operation of the heliport if there ever was one decided upon,” David Marshall, Executive Director of the Fraser Basin Council, told Energetic City.

Marshall led a review in 2013, which determined how practical a heliport at the hospital would be.

The review was welcomed by local government and citizens, as the amount of time it takes to transport patients from the North Peace Regional Airport has been a known point of concern; patients who need helicopter transportation from a remote location have to be taken to the airport, and then transported via ambulance to the hospital, or by plane to another facility.

Although a landing pad was included in the original design of the hospital, Northern Health felt it wasn’t necessary and could be unsafe, and ultimately, it wasn’t installed.

“People were, more or less, just trying to get educated on what the possible locations would be, if there was one being considered,” Marshall said.

Marshall added that not many more details are concrete at this point, but he said areas adjacent to the hospital were discussed for a potential location. Flight pathways also hold restrictions on where the heliport can be, to prevent obstruction.

Transport Canada presented in Friday’s meeting the regulations on the operation and maintenance of heliports. Other factors, such as zoning, have to be considered as well.

Another meeting between officials is expected to take place within the next few months.