Bangor Daily News
WASHINGTON — The LifeFlight Foundation has been awarded three federal grants totaling $27,500 to construct automated weather observing system stations in three Maine communities.
Funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program will have the systems installed at the following locations:
- Fort Kent, on the roof of Northern Maine Medical Center, $8,250.
- Princeton, near the airstrip at the Princeton Municipal Airport, $8,750.
- Carrabassett Valley, near the airstrip at Sugarloaf Regional Airport, $10,500.
These systems will improve access for emergency medical helicopters and assist in ensuring the safety of LifeFlight operations as they transport critically ill or seriously injured patients from these rural areas, according to a USDA press release. These projects are expected to create a total of three jobs and save four.
USDA Rural Development State Director Virginia Manuel said, “Providing access to quality health care in the most rural areas of Maine is a high priority at USDA Rural Development.”
Copyright 2011 Bangor Daily News