It's not a bird, nor Superman.
It's bright blue with yellow, green and sky blue stripes and Brainerd lakes area residents may have seen it in the sky in the past 10-12 weeks. It is a medical aircraft belonging to Life Link III, an air medical transport service consortium.
Life Link III opened its seventh base at the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport in May. Life Link III board of directors, medical directors and employees celebrated Friday with a grand opening VIP celebration and public ceremony. There was a brief program and ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce and the Cuyuna Lakes Chamber of Commerce.
Life Link III was formed in 1985 as the first nonprofit consortium in the country to transport critically ill patients by helicopter, a news release stated. Life Link III operates 24/7 to provide critically needed additional air medical transport to residents. Other bases are in Hibbing, Cloquet, Alexandria, Wadena, Blaine and Rice Lake, Wis.
Life Link III President and Chief Executive Officer Edward R. Eroe said the Brainerd base is a wonderful addition to their operations to provide the best possible patient care.
ADVERTISEMENT
"What we have learned is the Brainerd lakes area is the fastest growing area in Minnesota," Eroe said at the event. "Looking at all the flights that come into our area to our receiving hospitals, it is important to have the resources here so people don't have to wait.
"Life Link is a consortium of nine hospital systems, including Essentia Health-St. Joseph's Medical Center here in Brainerd working cooperatively. We have a total of 16 receiving hospitals and a total of 48 hospitals, which makes us the largest consortium when looking at hospitals."
Other member-owner hospitals include Allina Health, Fairview and Hennepin County Medical Center, all in Minneapolis, and CentraCare Health in St. Cloud. Essentia has been a member since 2010.
Nate Lebeck, Life Link III regional clinical manager in Brainerd and Alexandria, said Life Link III opening in Brainerd is because of the "direct support of one of our consortium members here in town, Essentia."
"We're helping the entire area as a whole to beef up its air medical services," Lebeck said. "With the expansion of the population here in the summer months, there is an increased amount of need for critical timed patients."
Lebeck said since the Brainerd base opened, it has been busy.
"It's been incredible," he said. "Our flight volumes have been high and the community has welcomed us with open arms. How busy we are all depends on the day. One day we could have three to four calls. There is an influx on the weekends.
"There absolutely is a need (for more medical air services). We appreciate the business and we love being here."
ADVERTISEMENT
Lebeck said coverage will be based on availability. He said hospitals have the choice on which air medical transport service organization it wants to utilize. North Memorial Health Air Care also provides 24/7 medical air services in the Brainerd area. Bases are in Brainerd, Bemidji, Lakeville, Princeton, Redwood Falls and Siren, Wis.
Life Link III has two aircrafts stationed at the Brainerd base, including an AgustaWestland 119Kx helicopter, a single-engine aircraft made by Leonardo S.p.A, an Italian global high-tech company. There also is a Pilatus PC-12 NG, which includes a 330-cubic-foot pressurized passenger cabin with seating for up to seven people, plus a patient stretcher.
Each flight crew consists of a pilot, flight medic and flight nurse, all working 12-hour shifts.
Dr. Peter Henry, chief medical officer at Essentia, said when Life Link III approached them with their medical air services, Essentia saw it as another opportunity to serve the residents in the Brainerd area. Henry said the Brainerd lakes area is growing and there are more patients who need a higher level of care. Henry said 20 years ago, the emergency department in Brainerd saw 14,000 patients a year. Today, there are more than 28,000 patients.
Henry said Essentia has increased its level of patient services and developed more programs helping stroke and trauma patients, "but we still have patients who exceed our level of capability of health care."
"And when that happens, time is very important and the more options we have to transfer them, the less risk they have of any delay to get them to the higher level of care (facility)," Henry said.
Henry said having Life Link III in Brainerd is "an opportunity to have our community served better and that is our goal."
"Competition is typically good for the consumer, and ultimately our goal at Essentia is to provide the best service for our patients and to keep them safe," Henry said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Capt. Scott Goddard of the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office said Life Link III is one more resource for the Brainerd area to help residents. Goddard said there are times when there are multiple crashes, and having one more air care organization available will be helpful.
Goddard said once law enforcement sends out the page, whichever air care service is available and the closest to the scene will respond.
"Having this in our backyard is a huge bonus for all our citizens," Goddard said.
Matt Kilian, Brainerd chamber president, said Life Link III is a positive addition for the Brainerd area.
"This helps with economic development as they are looking to attract an aviation cluster at the airport," Kilian said. "I'm particularly impressed with their community involvement. They want to be part of the community and I really have appreciated this."
Kilian said there is someone walking around in the community right now who has no idea that their life or the life of a loved one is in danger.
"(This person) would be saved by this organization and its team of employees and I think that is pretty awesome," Kilian said. "You can't say that about other organizations."
