The Yale New Haven Health’s SkyHealth helicopter landed behind Greenwich Town Hall at Havemeyer Field on Monday during a drill involving Greenwich Emergency Medical Services and the American Red Cross of Metro New York North. The drill was part of a preparedness exercise in the event of a town emergency, such as a mass casualty event.
Designed specifically for emergency medical services, the SkyHealth craft has the latest technology and safety features recommended by the Federal Aviation Administration, such as advanced satellite tracking to monitor aircraft position, air traffic and weather. The crew is equipped with night-vision goggles to safely flying in the dark.
SkyHealth features full intensive care unit capabilities while in route, invasive and noninvasive monitoring, multiple channel IV pumps, intra-aortic balloon pump and advanced airway and ventilation management. Compared to ambulances, SkyHealth provides more rapid transportation for distances and a higher level of care for high acuity patients when time is critical. The aircraft travels within a 200-mile radius of New Haven.
