September 12, 2023 – The Health Care District announces the delivery last week of the first of two Leonardo AW169 helicopters. The AW169 helicopters were selected for Trauma Hawk following more than a decade of planning and due diligence. It’s anticipated the second helicopter will also be delivered this month.
“This marks a new era in the Health Care District’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality trauma services to our community,” stated Darcy J. Davis, CEO of the Health Care District. “These state-of-the-art helicopters will provide swift and efficient air transportation to enhance patient access to critical medical services and improved healthcare outcomes.”
The Leonardo AW169 helicopters will replace the current Sikorsky S76-C+ aircraft, which have served the Health Care District and Palm Beach County since 1999. The new aircraft will remain out of service during a transition period while the flight team and mechanics complete specialized training to ensure a seamless shift to the new helicopters early next year. The Sikorsky aircraft will remain in service throughout the transition.
“The Health Care District’s aeromedical program has been a key component of Palm Beach County’s integrated trauma system for more than 30 years,” said Kenneth A. Scheppke, MD, FAEMS, Medical Director of the Health Care District’s aeromedical and ground transportation programs, as well as the Medical Director for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. “These new, technologically-advanced aircraft will play a key role in EMS response by providing critically ill and injured patients access to safe and rapid air transport in a county with a land area larger than the state of Rhode Island.”
One of the new standout features of the AW169 is its longitudinal roll-on stretcher system. This technology minimizes patient movement during loading and unloading, providing a safe and efficient means of transport directly to a specialized medical center like one of the county’s two Level 1 trauma centers. As a result, the Trauma Hawk medical team will no longer need to transfer patients onto hospital stretchers at the helipad, saving crucial minutes during lifesaving missions.
“These new aircraft are a leap forward in technology for both the pilots and the medical crews,” said Jay Mazzone, the Health Care District’s Director of Aeromedical Transportation. “With advanced avionics, larger and brighter displays, and the added capability of night vision goggles, we are moving into the next generation of aircraft that will help us maintain and enhance our relentless focus on safety.”
The air medical team aboard the Health Care District’s FAA-certified air ambulances includes at least one Health Care District commercial instrument-rated pilot along with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue medical personnel. In addition to the pilots, the Health Care District employs a team of aviation technicians and program support staff.
“We are grateful to the Health Care District of Palm Beach County for investing in the advancement and safety of the aeromedical program for the community,” said Chief Charles Coyle, Division Chief of Medical Services for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. “Our Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Flight Nurses and Flight Medics are excited and prepared to start the training process of learning all the nuances of this new high-tech helicopter.”
“We are thrilled to deliver these two AW169 helicopters to our partner, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County,” said Clyde Woltman, CEO of Leonardo Helicopters US. “Our teammates across the world are fully committed to supporting the Health Care District’s critical missions to transport patients and save lives. I want to especially thank all of the administration, program and production staff involved from both Palm Beach County and Leonardo for their hard work and ongoing commitment.”
About the Health Care District
The Health Care District of Palm Beach County is a special taxpayer-funded district that has served as a healthcare safety net for 35 years to fill in gaps in access to healthcare services. This unique healthcare system covers the entire county and provides diverse services such as 13 outpatient clinics (Federally Qualified Health Centers) which serve everyone regardless of ability to pay; school health clinicians staffed in nearly 170 public schools; two Trauma Hawk aeromedical helicopters; a rural, public teaching hospital, Lakeside Medical Center; a skilled nursing facility, the Edward J. Healey Rehabilitation and Nursing Center; a ground ambulance program for Health Care District patients needing a higher level of care: a specialty benefits program for eligible, uninsured residents; and quality performance oversight of the county’s lifesaving trauma system.
