Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) toured Island Hospital today to help celebrate the hospital's newly completed rooftop helipad, constructed above the hospital's Acute Health Care Unit, next to the Emergency Department. The first stop on the tour was the new helipad for a photo op.
Sen. Cantwell helped secure $2.5 million in federal funding to construct the new helipad.
Island Health CEO Elise Cutter gave Cantwell a brief tour, allowing Cantwell to talk with Island Hospital staff about how the newly relocated helipad would affect staff.
Relocating the helipad to the roof means that patients in Island and Skagit counties who need to be airlifted to Island Hospital will get care faster, and that patients can also be transported to other regional trauma centers quicker.
Cantwell's tour included a stop at the current helipad, where Cantwell met with Airlift Northwest pilots, who briefed her on flight operations and how patients are handled in helicopters.
The helipad will replace the current helipad which was built in a parking lot years ago, which the hospital says is insufficient to meet the needs of the region because every time a medical air flight lands, the crew must ensure the surrounding area is clear of cars and pedestrians.
Senator Cantwell's visit was to include a ribbon cutting on the helipad, but, because it's not yet certified, a ribbon cutting took place on the ground in front of the Emergency Department.
“Rural facilities without a helipad have to drive patients in an ambulance to the nearest airport, and then reach services. But that's not what's going to happen here," Sen. Cantwell said before the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "So this is a victory for quality health care in Washington. It's a victory for Anacortes and for the communities around here. The community needs to be congratulated for coming together and articulating the need for this critical support.”
The full cost of relocating the helipad was $4.5 million. The federal funding secured by Sen. Cantwell covered over half of the cost.
Cantwell is in a field of eleven candidates for her Senate seat. A newly released poll puts Cantwell atop the list with 58% of likely voters saying they would support her if the primary election were held today. Her nearest challenger is Republican Raul Garcia, trailing with 37% of the vote in the poll.