HOSPITAL BUYS HELICOPTER TO REPLACE CRASHED ONE

More speed, lift, room and increased safety were the factors officials with Southeast Missouri Hospital were considering when they recently purchased the Eurocopter BO105 CBS.

The helicopter is faster, has more room, can take off at a steeper angle and runs on two engines compared to the single-engine Bell Long Ranger that crashed Sept. 20 in foggy conditions.

Administrator James Wente said hospital officials and the LifeBeat crew researched many helicopters before purchasing the $550,000 craft from a firm in Dallas.

"This was really a team effort," Wente said of the helicopter purchase. "We received input from our entire staff, and we really feel like we made a good choice."

The helicopter model purchased is almost identical to the temporary replacement chopper being used by the LifeBeat crew. In contrast to the temporary craft, LifeBeat's chopper will have higher skids, which means less danger of inadvertent contact with the tail rotor blades.

Wente said the management and LifeBeat staff are pleased with the purchase of the Eurocopter as a replacement to the Bell which served the hospital for eight years.

The Bell crashed near Ware, Ill., in Union County after the crew encountered foggy conditions en route to an automobile accident.

The three crew members on board the craft were injured but all have since returned to regular duty with LifeBeat.