After laser strikes one of its helicopters, LifeFlight of Maine spreads warning
Photo / Courtesy, LifeFlight of Maine
A LifeFlight of Maine helicopter is shown in action.
Although the crew and helicopter were unhurt in a recent such incident, LifeFlight of Maine is looking to raise awareness about the danger of pointing lasers at aircraft overhead.
Recently, a LifeFlight crew and their helicopter were hit by a laser beam as they were flying 2,000 feet in the air and heading back to their base in Sanford. The incident occurred at approximately 7:45 p.m. in the Scarborough area.
The crew followed protocol and alerted air traffic control to the situation. The pilot was able to continue the mission safely.
But that’s not always the case.
“When we’re flying at night, our night vision goggles attract any ambient light and amplifies it,” said Michael Bonenfant, a helicopter pilot and aviation safety coordinator for LifeFlight of Maine.
The pilot and clinical crew, which consists of a flight nurse and a flight paramedic, all wear the goggles in LifeFlight’s helicopters at night to enhance safety, particularly when taking off and landing.
“Crew members can become temporarily or permanently blinded by the light, depending on how powerful the laser is,” Bonenfant said. “Some6mes, it can burn your retina.”
There’s been an uptick in laser strikes nationwide, said the nonprofit, which operates the state’s only air ambulance service.
LifeFlight cited Federal Aviation Administration data of 8,863 laser hazards reported across the U.S. this year. That included 24 incidents in Maine.
Under the law, a person who knowingly aims the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft or at the flight path of an aircraft could be fined, sentenced up to five years in prison, or both, according to a news release.
LifeFlight’s flight crews undergo extensive training every year, including learning about the dangers of laser strikes and how to avoid such events.
“It is also important that members of the public know and appreciate that pointing lasers at aircraft is both incredibly dangerous and illegal,” the nonprofit said.
LifeFlight of Maine transports more than 2,500 patients each year, all of whom are facing life-threatening medical emergencies.
LifeFlight’s airplane and five helicopters are based in Bangor, Lewiston and Sanford. The service also expanding its critical care ground transport program.
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