It appears innocuous at first blush: CommonSpirit Well being, which took over Colorado’s Centura Well being in 2023, final week introduced plans to alter the colour of its six Flight for Life helicopters from orange to purple.
“We’ve been intentional about making use of CommonSpirit’s colours in a means that makes our plane simply seen to different pilots and shortly recognizable from the bottom,” reads a press release from the magenta-branded CommonSpirit, which is predicated in Chicago. “Whereas orange is an simply noticeable shade, there are occasions, particularly at dawn and sundown, when an orange helicopter will not be as seen within the sky as our new shade gradient.”
CommonSpirit, which operates 20 hospitals and greater than 260 clinics in Colorado, Kansas and Utah, referred to as it “a refreshed model id.” Altering its emergency automobile livery, together with ambulances and planes, will “improve our recognition, strengthen our visible presence, and make sure that we proceed to speak the distinctive high quality of care that Flight for Life supplies.”
A vocal refrain of Flight for Life followers say that is way more than a easy rebranding. The announcement March 17 on Fb harvested tons of of feedback opposing the shift from orange to purple.
Consider the issues CommonSpirit may spend cash on in addition to portray helicopters and ambulances a brand new shade, says Dave Repsher.
“Like medical tools and coaching and security upgrades to helicopters or crew quarters at bases,” says Repsher, a ski patroller turned battle nurse who was severely burned in 2015 when his Flight for Life helicopter crashed in Frisco, killing pilot Patrick Mahany.
Karen Mahany was a flight nurse for Flight For Life in Colorado from 1998 to 2005, the place she met her husband, Patrick. Following the fiery 2015 crash, the Repshers and Mahany have been tireless advocates for helicopter security. They pushed for federal laws in 2018 that requires crash-resistant gas programs in helicopters manufactured after April 2020.
That laws modified rules that allowed older helicopters to fly within the U.S. with out modern-day security upgrades. The trio stay vigilant in advocating for obligatory energy-absorbing upgrades to the construction and seating of helicopters.
“What killed my husband was not the hearth that burned Dave. The principle cause my husband died was blunt drive trauma. Flight for Life nonetheless doesn’t have higher-standard crashworthy construction, seating or restraining programs,” Karen Mahany stated. “For them to be spending, by my estimate, at the least $1 million to alter the paint with out placing in new security seating and construction enhancements and even shopping for new helicopters, it’s reprehensible. That is nothing greater than a conceit venture. I don’t see the way it makes sufferers and crew any safer.”
Flight for Life started in 1972 with one helicopter based mostly out of St. Anthony Central Hospital. That helicopter was orange. It was the primary civilian, hospital-based helicopter program within the nation and its helicopters now fly sufferers throughout 9 states. Locals in mountain cities know to say a fast prayer when the brilliant Flight For Life ship thumps throughout the sky, understanding somebody is having a really dangerous day. Dangerous, however blessed on the similar time.
“From a primary responder’s aspect, while you referred to as that helicopter and also you noticed it coming in you knew you have been getting good assist and care in your affected person,” Repsher says. “We have been all comfortable to serve our communities and it meant rather a lot for us to be up there representing these colours. We have been a part of an extended, proud custom.”
Whenever you see the orange Flight for Life plane, you don’t see a model, says Chris Carr, who labored as a flight nurse for the corporate out of its Frisco base for 9 years earlier than leaving in 2020.
“It’s an emblem that somebody, on their worst day, is getting the very best degree of care they’ll obtain,” Carr says. “Now although, you’ll search for and see pink and purple and assume ‘That’s positively a model’ and an extension of an organization. Which individuals usually appear to really feel negatively about in relation to well being care. I don’t perceive it. It’s like Coke altering from pink to purple.”
The assertion from the corporate doesn’t point out the price of shade change however notes that no philanthropic funds are paying for the rebranding. The corporate says “beneficiant benefactors” have supported new tools and coaching for Flight for Life crews.
“We acknowledge the importance of this visible change to a service that has been part of our communities for greater than 50 years,” reads the CommonSpirit assertion. “Whereas now we have heard from many who’re supportive and excited, we respect that there’s a vary of sturdy emotions. Nonetheless, no change will influence our dedication to saving lives when minutes really matter.”
CommonSpirit saying the livery shade change is about security irks Amanda Repsher.
“What have they performed to spend money on security options and coaching for the crews? How does this promote security in any respect? For them to say that is about security may be very offensive,” says Amanda Repsher, who travels the nation together with her husband, attending aviation conventions urging the business to higher embrace helicopter security. “That is very private for us. We’re continually being instructed that security prices some huge cash and all of the sudden you’ve this cash and you might be placing it into paint?”
The opponents of the Flight for Life shade shift usually are not actually anticipating CommonSpirit to alter course.
“I’ve made peace with the actual fact they aren’t going to take heed to us,” Mahany says. “However at the least we raised the pink flag to say you aren’t doing proper by your crew or your sufferers.”
