VANCOUVER SLA'D 4 - a t': C t. Our Vision: Healthy People, Healthy Island Communities, Seamless Service

Transcription

1 VANCOUVER SLA'D 4 - a t': C t Our Vision: Healthy People, Healthy Island Communities, Seamless Service June 1,2010 Ref# Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District (CSRHD) Attn: Debra Oakman, Chief Administrative Officer 600 Comox Road Courtenay, BC V9N 3P6 Dear Ms. Oakman: Re: Fundin g Required to U pg rade Hos pital Heliports On April 6, 2010 VIHA submitted a letter requesting CSRHD cost-sharing on upgrades required by Transport Canada to the Campbell River and District General Hospital (CRDGH) heliport. We have since received a report from our consultant, Stantec Consulting, confirming upgrades which are now required to the St. Joseph's General Hospital (SJGH) heliport. The current BC Ambulance helicopters require heliports that have an H2 certification. By March 2011, it is anticipated that the BC Ambulance Service will have new and better helicopters which will require a lower level of heliport certification of Hi. At CRDGH, the budget of $136,000 noted in our April 6th letter would fund the upgrades required to retain H2 certification, and allow the current helicopters to continue to use the heliport. Please note that the budget of $1 16,000 in the attached CRDGH Stantec report relates to construction costs only, and excludes an estimated $ for consultant fees and development costs. For the SJGH heliport, the Stantec report identifies a list of upgrades required to obtain Hi certification, and a list of further upgrades required to obtain the higher level H2 certification. The H2 certification requires space for additional, alternate emergency landing areas in case of helicopter engine failure on approach. An H2 certification, however, is not feasible at SJGH as there is insufficient free space available for an alternate landing area on the site. VIHA is requesting 40% cost-sharing on the SJGH Hi certification upgrades of $160,444, with the expectation that the new BC Ambulance Service helicopters will be operational by March This would mean that while routine helicopter transports would need to continue to use the Comox Airport until March 2011, any time-critical (life and limb") transports from any helicopter (eg. BC Ambulance, Search and Rescue, logging) could use the heliport currently, as required. This minimal upgrading will also allow us to retain a degree of certification now, and will prevent us from losing our certification altogether, and having to reapply in the future which could be onerous and risky. The upgrades of $160,444 are required for both Hi and H2 certification, and therefore would not be undone or wasted if at a later date we are required to upgrade to the higher H2 certification status. Executive Office located at 2101 Richmond Avenue. Victona, BC, Canada VBR 4R7 Tel: (250) Fax: (250) mailing address 1952 Bay Street, Victoria, BC Canada VSR 1J8

2 CSRHD Funding Request: SJGH Heliport Upgrade May 31, 2010 Page 2 of 2 To fund the SJGH heliport upgrade budget of $160,444, VIHA is requesting to use some of the savings which we've incurred over the past few years in our completed/closed Category 2 items. The CSRHD portion of the $160,444 wou'd be $64,178. Since the budget is >$look, we are requesting to move the CSRHD portion from Category 2 to Category 1 (>$1 00k) funding. This SJGH funding request is in addition to the CRDGH funding request in our April 61h letter. Understandably, the VIHA Executive has requested that this upgrade work happen quickly, so we would appreciate a response as soon as practically possible from the CSRHD. The CRDGH and SJGH heliport upgrades, which are part of a required Corrective Action Plan (CAP), have been submitted to Transport Canada pending their approval. Attached are excerpts from the Stantec Consulting reports which provide more detail on the CRDGH and SJGH heliport assessments. We appreciate your consideration of this important funding request. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely, Chris Sullivan Director, Capital Planning Attachments cc: Eric Macdonald, VP Finance, Capital and Support Services, St. Joseph's General Hospital Carol Botrakoff, Manager, Capital Finance and Treasury, VIHA

3 .= VANCOUVER LLD rity Our Vision: Healthy People, Healthy Island Communities, Seamless Service April 6, 2010 Ref #10593 Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District (CSRHD) Attn: Debra Oakman, Chief Administrative Officer 600 Comox Road Courtenay, BC V9N 3P6 Dear Ms. Oakman: Re: Funding Required to Upgrade VIHA Heliports Transport Canada has recently conducted site inspections of the heliports at Cowichan District Hospital, Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, West Coast General Hospital, St. Joseph's General Hospital (SJGH) and Campbell River and District General Hospital (CRDGH). A number of physical and airspace deficiencies were identified at these sites that need to be addressed to maintain heliport certification. The Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) hired a consultant to confirm Transport Canada's findings, and to provide a Corrective Action Plan and cost estimate to address those findings. Our consultant has advised that the cost required to upgrade CRDGH's heliport is $136,000. For 2010/11, VIHA approved a $20,000 budget for these anticipated upgrades; 40% of which ($8,000) is funded by CSRHD Category 2 (<$100k) funding. To fund the additional $116,000, VIHA is requesting to use some of the savings incurred over the past few years in our completed/closed Category 2 items. The CSRHD portion of the $116,000 would be $46,400. Since the CRDGH heliport upgrade budget of $136,000 is >$100,000, we are requesting to move the CSRHD portion (totalling $54,400) from Category 2 to Category 1 (>$100,000) funding. The consultant's report for SJGH has recently been completed. Once reviewed, CSRHD will be advised of the results. Yours sincerely, /_ I Chris Sullivan Director, Capital Planning cc: Carol Botrakoff, Manager, Capital Finance and Treasury Executive Office located at 2101 Richmond Avenue; Victoria, BC, Canada V8R 4R7 Tel: (250) Fax: (250) mailing address: 1952 Bay Street; Victoria, BC Canada V8R 1J8

4 ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL HELIPORT SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT Executive Summary April 2010 {NIYII1!IIi1liF11'A A number of airspace, physical and administrative aspects of the existing heliport at the St. Joseph's Hospital have been found to be non compliant with the Canadian Aviation Regulations by Transport Canada and Stantec's heliport consultant. When Transport Canada completes an inspection report with findings, the operator must respond with an appropriate Corrective Action plan. The effort associated with this report includes the preparation a submission of the required Corrective Action Plan to Transport Canada by St Joseph's Hospital. This report also provides details in regard to the non conforming items and how they need to be addressed. In brief they include, the lighting system condition and light spacing., the flight path direction arrow dimensions, fence locations that conflict with airspace, Final Approach and Take Off Area excessive surface slope, missing Final Approach and Take Off Marking, light pole removal, light pole marking, power line marking, current Heliport Operations Manual, documentation of operational review items, operational training records. Certified heliports in Canada are classified as HI, H2, or H3. An Hi heliport is most restrictive providing access by only helicopters in the twin engine high performance category. An H2 heliport is restricted to only twin engine helicopters and must comply with specific flight path slope and environmental conditions, in particular reachable emergency landing areas must be available in the event of an engine failure. The H3 classification is the least restrictive permitting access by single engine helicopters. The flight path slope is shallower and emergency landing areas must available. Transport Canada has determined that the area surrounding the St Joseph's hospital will not fully provide for emergency landing areas necessary for H2 certification delegating the heliport to HI status. The issue with HI classification directly relates to the access a Sikorsky 76A model helicopter currently operated under contract to BC Air Ambulance. The Sikorsky 76A helicopter does not have the performance capability to use most HI heliports essentially negating helicopter service to the St. Joseph's Hospital heliport. The preference would be to obtain H2 heliport certification status which would permit usage of the heliport by the current Sikorsky 76A helicopter operated by the service provider. Initially the purpose of the site assessment completed by Stantec's heliport consultant was to determine if H2 certification of the heliport was possible and if so, under what developmental conditions. The investigation by the Stantec's heliport consultant and subsequent discussions with Transport Canada and the Air Ambulance helicopter operator identifies a solution in this report that will provide for a H2 certified heliport. The H2 heliport solution will require the removal of approximately 60 stalls from service in order to provide the necessary emergency landing areas. The cost to replace these parking stalls would significantly add to the total upgrade cost of the heliport. It is recognized that the loss of parking area for an emergency landing area may not be acceptable to regional and hospital management. In this event the only option would be to accept Hi certification for the heliport. cw v\1 162actwe\ O7_r ports_studies\cqst revised final sosephs_heliportsdoc 1.1

5 i Tfl ; ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL HELIPORT SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT Executive Summary April 2010 BC Air Ambulance intends to release a request for service proposal that will provide for a helicopter with the performance criteria to utilize Hi heliports. It is the intent of BC Air Ambulance that such a helicopter would be in service by the spring of Based on this information a heliport with HI certification status will likely provide operational value in the near future. There is little difference in regard to the Corrective Action Plan items associated with HI vs. H2 heliport. The physical and administrativ? action item must been completed for either of the classifications. The follow options may be considered 1. Upgrade the existing heliport providing HI certification. The existing parking lot would remain undisturbed. The associated cost to address the non compliant items would be approximately $ including a modest contingency and in soft costs. The current Sikorsky 76A model helicopter does not have the performance capacity to use the Hi heliport. The Hi certification would provide for high performance twin engine helicopter types up to a total dimensional length of 17.5 meters Proceeding with this option is based on premise that BC Air Ambulance will have awarded an new helicopter air ambulance contract that provides for a helicopter with the performance capability of using the St Joseph's Hospital Hi heliport and that the new helicopter would be in operation by the spring of Upgrade the existing heliport providing for 1-12 certification based on the condition of the removal and replacement of approximately 60 parking stalls. The associated cost would be $360,446 including cost to address the current heliport non compliant items, parking stall replacement, contingency, and soft costs. The H2 certification would provide for all twin engine helicopter types up to a total dimensional length of 17.5 meters. The current Sikorsky 76A model helicopter currently use by the service provider would have access. 3, Alternatively Option 2 could be perused with the possibility that the requirements for an H2 heliport remain open for consideration should BC Air Ambulance not be in the position to award a service contract for an HI capable helicopter or if there is delay in the implementation that is not acceptable to VIHA and St Joseph's hospital. The timing of the implementation of the proposed options is to be considered. Option I assumes that the work required for H2 certification would take place as soon as possible in order to maintain helicopter air ambulance service under with the current and future helicopter. Option 2 and 3 could be implemented any time prior to the availability of a new helicopter. Completing the work within the preferred summer construction season may provide some cost advantages in comparison with work in inclement weather. Completing the heliport upgrade sooner rather than later would provide the opportunity for critical care emergency flights to take place under extenuating circumstances. The heliport would also be open for use by military helicopters. cw v:1 162\active\ F07jeports_studescost revised final stjosephsheliports.doc 1.2

6 ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL HELIPORT SITE ASSESSMENT REPORT Executive Summary April 2010 Prior to construction a Notice to Airman would be issued to temporarily close the heliport. The NOTAM would be effective for up to nine months after which the heliport upgrade would need to be complete. If the heliport upgrade work were to be delayed to the extent where permanent closure is necessary some additional administration and paperwork would required at the time of reopening adding to the soft costs of project. The airport would be used for all helicopter air ambulance flights during the period of heliport upgrade work and for all missions performed by the current Sikorsky 76A model helicopter. The following is a list of recommendations for consideration. The Corrective Action Plan (CAP) associated with this report is to be submitted to Transport Canada for approval and acceptance. The CAP will generically address the certification status of either H2 or Hi certification status. Once Transport Canada has returned approval of the CAP; an obstacle survey would be conducted to provide the necessary information to prepare flight path drawings, and design drawings required to complete the upgrade of the heliport to CAR 325 requirements. An obstacle survey is an initial and reoccurring requirement every five years for an Hi heliport. Completion of the work associated with H2 certification is recommended, however, it is this recommendation must be weighed in conjunction with the impact on parking and budgetary considerations. Proceed with the completion of the necessary drawing information to obtain contractor pricing. Proceed with the performance of the heliport upgrade for either H2 or HI classification within the summer construction season. Heliport improvements are to be made in accordance with the Corrective Action Plan filed with Transport Canada. Update the Heliport Operations Manual and submit to Transport Canada for approval in accordance with the CAP. cw v\1 162\actwe\ \07 reports stud,escost revised final stjosephsheliportsdoc 1.3

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14