WINONA, Minn. – Police and fire crews blocked Parks Avenue near the hospital for an incoming medivac helicopter to land because another medivac helicopter was already occupying the hospital’s rooftop helipad. The alternate helicopter landing site is used rarely but it’s there – a huge white circle with an “H’’ in the middle, just off the hospital’s Lake Winona Manor nursing home. Crews arrived to clear the alternate site after Mayo 2 radioed about 8:40 a.m. that it was 20 minutes out with an an emergency patient. After the alternate site was cleared, the helicopter already on the hospital roof took off. Mayo 2 was advised. The pilot responded that he would prefer to land on the rooftop.
Medivac traffic
The number of helipad landings at the Winona hospital varies but seldom is more frequent than than once a week. Helicopters into Winona typically are Mayo 1 or Mayo 2 craft based in Eau Claire, Mankato and Rochester and a GundersenAir craft based in LaCrosse.