SMDC's LifeFlight To Be Replaced

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SMDC's LifeFlight To Be Replaced

By KBJR Manager

Story Published: Nov 5, 2009 at 10:26 AM CST

Story Updated: Nov 5, 2009 at 10:48 AM CST

Posted by Brad Nicoski

Following months of evaluation, Life Link III has been selected to take over air medical transport services for SMDC Health System.

The Minneapolis-based organization will replace SMDC's LifeFlight helicopter service in Janurary of 2010.

Life Link will not operate a helicopter base in Duluth.

Instead, they will respond to calls from their bases in Hibbing and Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

The helicopter pad adjacent to St. Mary's Medical Center will be used to receive incoming patients.

The majority of SMDC's LifeFlight medical transport staff will be offered positions at helicopter locations in Rice Lake, Hibbing and Anoka, Minnesota.

Any additional staff members that are not offered positions will be eligible for severance.

Thursday, Nov 5 at 10:55 PM eileen wrote ...

If my Dad wouln't have had the helicopter service, he wouln't have lived longer than he did, It gave us more time with our Dad!

Thursday, Nov 5 at 8:37 PM Hollis wrote ...

I agree with Bill K. and Brian. SMDC sucks. Their administration should be ashamed of themselves and I honestly wonder how they sleep at night. Well, I guess if I made that kind of money, I'd sleep well too. But like Brian said...it's just people's lives right???

Thursday, Nov 5 at 5:00 PM Nick wrote ...

Understanding that most calls come from further distances from Duluth. Their reasoning is fine. But what happens to the service of those who still need a medi-vac from closer areas like Two Harbors, Cloquet, Ashland. A base in Duluth would still be a quicker response.

Thursday, Nov 5 at 3:21 PM jen wrote ...

I agree with distance. usually it us, the people from the iron range, that need the ride to duluth not people from duluth needing a ride to the the iron range. having the life flight closer to the injured should help increase chances of saving those that need to be put on a life flight in the first place.

Thursday, Nov 5 at 11:45 AM Distance wrote ...

Actually Brian, the builk of the calls for lifeflight come from those areas, Too far for an ambulane to get patients to SMDC quickly. This way theya stat off closer to the vicitm in need. Makes some sense to me.

Thursday, Nov 5 at 11:38 AM Bill Kliever wrote ...

Times are tough, gotta cut back so the CEO's at SMDC can keep their $1,000,000 salaries. They want to cut back on staff, pay and a lot of other things so that they can build more buildings, make more money and give themselves raises.

Thursday, Nov 5 at 11:08 AM Brian wrote ...

Wow just wow. Good living here in Duluth. Maybe we could get our fire trucks to respond from Askov. Not sure how much they think they will save by doing this, but hey it's just peoples lives right.

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