HANGAR TALK Industry news relevant to your business
Upon tasking completion, the aircraft is completely disinfected and returned to service.
Bristow Americas Transports Potential Infectious Disease Patients Including Those With COVID-19
Bristow Americas’ search and rescue (SAR) teams have successfully transported acutely-ill offshore workers in the oil and gas industry with suspected cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), using specially-configured and equipped search and rescue aircraft supporting operations in the Gulf of Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.
The first emergency request for assistance was received on Jan. 29. To date, Bristow has safely completed many successful requests to transport offshore workers and COVID-19 test kits to remote and isolated offshore platforms, drilling rigs and drill ships. Bristow will continue to support emergency medical evacuation requests to transport potentially infectious patients, which may include suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.
“In the Americas Region, we have always possessed the ability to safely transport potentially infectious patients in our SAR aircraft. The current response is the most comprehensive to date, consisting of a well-coordinated and aligned multi- agency and multinational effort,” said Rob Phillips, senior vice president for Bristow’s Americas area. “The safety, health, and welfare of our workforce, customers, and the public we support around the world is of the utmost importance to our global organization.”
As with any potentially infectious patient, Bristow strictly adheres to universal and body substance isolation (BSI) precautions, physical barriers, and other specialty equipment within the aeromedical transport environment.
The level of
potential infection will trigger additional precautions, as applicable, to the patient encounter and follow-on transport. If COVID-19 is suspected, additional resources and authorities are contacted to determine the best course of action.
“We are currently on track to be the first commercial operator in this region to implement portable negative-pressure isolation stretchers for high-risk transports involving unconscious, non-ambulatory, or high-risk infectious disease patients receiving invasive en-route care,” said David Jacob, deputy area manager for the Americas area.
Bristow is closely working in conjunction with its clients, respective medical control authorities, hospitals, state health departments, federal agencies and the ministries of health, port health and other authorities and partners supporting their international rescue operations in the Western Hemisphere.
“Our
past proven success with safely transporting patients with infectious diseases shows that our fleet of specially configured AW139, S-76 and S-92 helicopters, and more importantly our well- trained crews, can safely and effectively transport suspected COVID-19 cases without infecting others,” Jacob said. “We are ready to help and have the experience to do it the right way, and can expand this service to where needed to help battle COVID-19.”
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, SevenBar has bases in Maine, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia. It has nearly 100 employees and has been in business for 70 years. The transaction is expected to close soon.
“SevenBar Aviation’s commitment to its communities, patients and health care provider partners, along with its geographic footprint, fits nicely into Med-Trans’s strategic vision and nationwide profile,” said Med-Trans President Rob Hamilton. “The team at Med-Trans is very much looking forward to working with the leadership and dedicated employees of SevenBar.”
Med-Trans Acquiring SevenBar Aviation
Med-Trans Corporation is acquiring SevenBar Aviation, a privately owned medical flight company offering fixed-wing and rotor-wing airlift services to a broad array of healthcare organizations throughout the nation. SevenBar has a fleet of seven jets and turboprops and five helicopters providing services in six states.
30 May/June 2020
SevenBar President and Chief Operating Officer Kim Montgomery said, “Our business will thrive and our mission will continue as a result of our new partnership with Med-Trans Corporation and its approach to providing air medical transports to thousands of patients. Our medical partners and our employees are looking forward to this transition.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91
