Centre Hospitalier de L’Enfant-Jésus

A wind safety assessment for critical air ambulance operations

Centre Hospitalier de L’Enfant-Jésus, a leading healthcare facility in Québec, recently introduced a new critical care building with a rooftop helipad to enhance rapid medical transport capabilities. Hospital helipads, often located on rooftops and surrounded by other buildings, are vulnerable to wind conditions influenced by architectural features and mechanical equipment. RWDI assessed the wind characteristics above the proposed helipad, providing the design team with targeted recommendations to mitigate adverse wind conditions and establish operational restrictions that minimize risk based on the local climate. Our work contributed to improving the safety and reliability of helicopter operations at the new helipad, ensuring a safer environment for emergency medical air transport.