Parkview Hospital began the Samaritan Flight Program in 1989 with the mission of providing rapid transport for trauma, critically ill, cardiac and neonatal patients. The program provided a complement to ground emergency medical services and initially consisted of one helicopter based at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind. A second helicopter was added in November 1999 and is based at Rochester Airport in Rochester, Ind. Both helicopters are called into action by Parkview Huntington Hospital’s EMS dispatch system.
Parkview Samaritan works in conjunction with numerous specialized services, including Parkview’s Verified Level II Adult & Pediatric Trauma Center, certified Parkview Stanley Wissman Stroke Center, accredited brain injury program and designated Chest Pain Center.
Samaritan Specifications
Model: N2-Dauphin helicopters with twin jet engines
Flight speed: Average 180 mph
Fuel: Two fuel tanks — can fly up to three hours on each tank
Patient Capacity: Two adult patients or three small children
Crew: One pilot, one nurse and one paramedic accompany each flight
Service area: 100-mile radius from Fort Wayne and Rochester, Indiana covering northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio
IFR Certification: Samaritan is the only Instrumental Flight Rules (IFR) certified flight program in Indiana, meaning that Samaritan can fly by instrument guides in weather that might prevent others from flying