By Laura Gossman
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN
PRESTON — Even Mayo One needs a little help once in a while.
One of Mayo Medical Transport’s helicopters made a "precautionary" landing at the Fillmore County Airport near Preston just after midnight on Wednesday. It stayed at the airport for more than a day, until a new turbine engine could be brought in and installed.
Mayo Medical Transport spokesman Glenn Lyden said the helicopter was en route from Decorah, Iowa, to bring a patient to Saint Marys Hospital when an indicator light alerted pilots of the need to land.
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The helicopter safely landed at the airport and Preston Ambulance was called to transport the patient along with the critical care team.
Preston EMT Jim Shupe got the call on his pager.
"We heard they were having mechanical difficulties and needed to land," Shupe said. "Normally, it’s the other way around; they’re coming to our rescue."
He said one of the engines failed and that the helicopter needed to land at the nearest airport as a precaution.
The Preston ambulance service has had a good working relationship with Mayo One crews, so he was more than happy to return the help, Shupe said.
Lyden said the landing ended without incident and that the patient and critical care crew were safely transported to the hospital.
Mayo Medical Transport always has a back-up helicopter ready for the next call, he said.
On Thursday, workers from nearby Gehling Auction Co. helped install a new turbine engine into the helicopter. The engine was flown into Rochester International Airport and then trucked to the Fillmore County Airport.
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The helicopter was tested and then took off Thursday afternoon.
For more information, go to Postbulletin.com/weblinks.
Mayo One helicopter
http://www.mayomedicaltransport.com/mayoone.html
