We all can agree that society needs rules. Think of the disaster if people decided they could ignore traffic regulations.
But sometimes there are situations where the rules simply seem to get in the way of common sense and, ultimately, the greater good.
Such is the case with the prohibition on the use of the Jackson campus field directly adjacent to the hospital for emergency medical helicopter landings.
Sure Transport Canada has a passel of red tape regulations which, to be fair, are designed to ensure the safety of helicopter crews and others who may be in the landing areas.
The ideal situation would be the development of a helipad at the hospital, but the project would likely cost close to $1 million – money that isn’t in the hospital budget and would not be funded by any other government agency.
But what about those people in such dire need of critical medical attention that a helicopter is deemed essential?
A helicopter landing at Jackson field rather than at the Salmon Arm Airport saves nearly 20 minutes for a critically ill patient. When such a situation is in play, every minute can mean the difference in a person’s life.
Shouldn’t a life count for more than a few rules, particularly when a careful protocol has worked successfully for many years?
-Salmon Arm Observer
