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Article: Protecting the Lives of Those Who Save Others; LifeFlight of Maine Favors Practicality, Safety Over Growth
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- August 22, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2009 The Washington Post. This material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Nights don't come much darker than Maine's. From a speeding
helicopter, the sky blends seamlessly into the ground even in clear
weather.
With so much forest and so little light, the crews of LifeFlight
of Maine would be picking their way through pitch-black if not for
the $12,000 night-vision goggles each member wears.
The goggles are one element of an extensive safety regimen that
sets LifeFlight apart from many medical helicopter programs in the
country. And the donations and state money that paid for them and
other upgrades speak to how Maine's sole helicopter medevac program
has come to be viewed as a public utility among the for-profit
companies that dominate the industry.
Maine has ...