Near Nantes, 92 trees felled to allow helicopters to land near a hospital

Le Figaro Nantes

A vast pruning operation took place on Tuesday and Wednesday on the site of the northern Laennec hospital, located in the town of Saint-Herblain (Loire-Atlantique), near Nantes. A total of 92 trees were felled and 88 others pruned. “The wood resulting from these cuts will be recycled and recovered as firewood”, indicates in a press release the Nantes University Hospital, of which the Laennec site is a part. In addition, the health structure mentions that a “reforestation will take place in the fall”. Except that the trees planted will not be the same as those felled. Above all, they will be positioned on “larger area”.

A choice “constrained” to allow helicopters to land on the heliport located in front of the hospital. Since last summer, it was almost deserted. The pilots of the Babcock company, responsible for flying the Samu aircraft, refused to come there, believing that the site was not in compliance with safety regulations. Only a few landings and take-offs were provided by modern helicopters. And again, the wind had to come from the north. Very complicated conditions that caregivers deplored. They denounced the extension of the care of certain patients for whom the speed of treatment is essential. This is particularly the case for stroke victims.

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Resumption of flights shortly

As the Laennec heliport was not easily accessible, some patients were transported by helicopter to Nantes airport before being transferred by ambulance to this hospital. For others, the trip could be done entirely in a medical vehicle. “The interruption of helicopter flights to the Laennec hospital is all the more problematic as it brings together sensitive recourse activities for the Pays de la Loire region and for the great west”, relates the Nantes University Hospital to explain the extent of the problem.

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Faced with this observation, faced with a lack of «solutions alternatives» and in order to answer “the priority issue of guaranteeing patients care that is as rapid as it is effective”the healthcare facility therefore decided to “carry out these slaughters”. The pruning work was carried out by a specialized company. Enough to allow helicopters to land and take off regardless of the direction of the wind. “Helicopter flights will be able to resume normally very soon”thus underlines the CHU of Nantes without giving, however, a precise timetable in the matter.

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