First helicopter lands on Sunnybrook's new rooftop helipad
This morning, the first helicopter landed on Sunnybrook's new helipad, located on the roof of M-Wing on our Bayview Campus. This was a test run that included teams from both Sunnybrook and Ornge, who came together to ensure they’re ready when the first real patient arrives. Sunnybrook expects that the new helipad will begin accepting actual patients soon.
The Honourable Christine Elliott, Ontario Minister of Health, and Robin Martin, MPP for Eglinton Lawrence and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health, caught up with the team as the helicopter touched down at Sunnybrook. In 2017, Minister Elliott was airlifted to Sunnybrook as a patient, following an injury she sustained in northern Ontario.
In addition to the inaugural landing, Sunnybrook's trauma team performed a patient simulation exercise in the trauma bay for Minister Elliott and Ms. Martin. This training drill helped to demonstrate the life-saving care provided to more than 2,000 critically injured patients who are rushed or flown to Sunnybrook each year.
There are a great number of people to thank for the new helipad and first and foremost is our community of generous donors, who came together to fund, in full, the construction of this impressive structure. This is the largest helipad of its kind in the country, and it serves as a tremendous testament to an incredible team, who lead the largest trauma program in Canada.
Most importantly, the new helipad will save precious minutes for patients, who are now a short elevator ride from the roof to the trauma bay, burn centre, operating rooms, critical care unit, and the neonatal intensive care unit. Sunnybrook will also be maintaining our original helipad to ensure we will be able to land helicopters on our campus, if the rooftop pad is unavailable due to weather, debris or elevator issues. This two-pad set-up is unique in Canada and will ensure Sunnybrook is there 24/7, when it matters most.
