By EMS1 Staff
BALTIMORE — The Maryland Board of Public Works approved a $72 million contract Wednesday to buy six new Medevac helicopters.
The first two helicopters are scheduled to begin operating within 18 months, with the remaining four joining the fleet within the next two years, according to The Capital Gazette.
Currently, Maryland has 11 helicopters, although some are almost 22 years old. One of the older helicopters crashed in 2008 and killed four emergency responders, leading to many discussions about the condition of the state’s response equipment, according to the Associated Press.
Hours after Wednesday’s vote, the state governor, legislators, police and fire officers, other officials and guests attended a ceremony at the local Maryland Lee Airport. At the ceremony Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley reflected on the hard choice to spend large funds on safety.
The helicopter upgrade may be necessary, but it is also costly in such economically tough times. With funding coming from the state police department instead of private companies, the helicopters contract became a contentious purchase that led to much debate among legislators and government officials, according to reports.
“This contract, frankly, will pay for itself every time a person’s life is saved,” Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, told The Baltimore Sun.
High costs aside, the contract hopes to improve Maryland’s rescue efforts — and keep rescue workers safe in the process, especially after the 2008 crash. The fallen Medevac officers’ families attended the ceremony after the board’s decision to purchase new helicopters.
“I asked all those families if there was anything I could do for them,” O’Malley told The Capital. “Each one of them asked me to get the fleet the safest, most modern helicopters and the best equipment. Today we start doing just that.”