New helicopter medical team focuses on industrial accidents on Vancouver Island
A new helicopter team that provides advanced medical care has launched on northern Vancouver Island.
Technical Evacuation Advanced Aero Medical, or TEAAM, got its start in Squamish, B.C., and opened its fourth location in Campbell River, B.C., on Wednesday.
What's different about TEEAM compared to other search and rescue options is that it focuses on industrial incidents, and provides advanced medical in the field instead of simply transporting patients.
The non-profit group is funded by companies and organizations that pay subscription fees based on the number of employees they have.
"Primarily the logging [industry]. There’s a few fishing outfits that are interested and different pieces of industry," said TEAAM base manager Dave Hutton.
"Each day we kind of get somebody else who’s interested in being a member with us," he said. "As it grows I think we will have more different industries as well."
The TEAAM helicopter is seen in Campbell River, B.C. (CTV News)
'NEED FOR THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY'
TEAAM will be able to fly to some of the most remote locations on northern Vancouver Island to attend industrial accidents and medical situations.
Its team members are volunteers who are on standby and who are paid if a rescue mission is called in.
"Nurses, firefighters, search and rescue technicians, we have a couple military SAR Techs (Search and Rescue Technicians), a couple of doctors in town and one doctor out of Nanaimo," said Hutton.
Jennifer Lorenzetto is a nurse and one of TEAAM's newest team members on Vancouver Island.
"To be able to deliver care faster with such a diverse group of people is great, so when I found out about it, it was definitely something I wanted to be a part of," she said.
The critical care nurse has worked in Campbell River for the past 11 years and is looking forward to helping out in remote locations.
"I think everybody who is part of team just really sees the need for this in our community. It’s heartbreaking when something goes terribly wrong, so that’s why we’re here," she said.
Now that the group is fully up and running, the team is waiting for its first official tasking.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.