All Nations Healing Hospital opens helipad in Fort Qu'Appelle

A helipad at All Nations hospital WATCH: The All Nations Healing Hospital in Fort Qu’Appelle has a brand new place for patient transfers. Cole Davenport explains.

FORT QU’APPELLE — A new helipad has been unveiled at the All Nations Healing Hospital in Fort Qu’Appelle to serve patients in the town and surrounding communities.

Around 200 patients have been transferred from All Nations to larger centres through STARS Air Ambulance since 2012, making the hospital one of the busiest rural locations for airlifts in the province.

Up until this point, helicopters would land in a field for patient transfers.

“Everything has to do with getting that patient to tertiary care as quickly as possible so having this here makes things a lot smoother, quicker and safer,” said Darcy McKay, the provincial director of STARS.

“Knowing that [STARS] are going to be ready to land here, taking on those critical emergency situations that we need them to for the community members in our area, that’s the icing on the cake for us,” said All Nations executive director Gail Boehme.

The hospital is waiting on final approval from Transport Canada but hopes to be cleared for landings by Monday.