BANGOR, Maine — LifeFlight of Maine is relocating its downtown communications center this week as part of a $12 million expansion of its facilities, equipment and personnel throughout the state.
The expansion is expected to bring 15 to 16 new jobs to Bangor, including nine pilots, new aircraft mechanics, additional medical personnel and extra dispatchers, according to LifeFlight Executive Director Thomas Judge.
LifeFlight employees began at 4:30 a.m. Thursday moving the organization’s communications center from an office building at 6 State St. to a large hangar at Bangor International Airport formerly occupied by C&L Aviation.
The organization moved the bulk of its flight operations to the 17,000-square-foot hangar earlier this year, leaving behind a smaller BIA hangar it has used since 1998.
The upsized facility, which LifeFlight has leased from the city of Bangor for a minimum of 10 years, includes an additional 7,000 square feet of office space. City officials estimate LifeFlight will pay $75,000 per year for the first five years and $95,000 per year for the remaining years. City code officers issued a temporary certificate of occupancy Tuesday for the facility.
“We’re planning to be there for a long time,” said Judge. “We’ve invested a pretty substantial bit rehabbing that building.”
Still under construction on Wednesday, the new facility is slated for completion by Oct. 24. Judge said they may not be completely finished by that date though.
Other additions planned for the facility include quarters for on-call pilots and medics and a medical simulator for training purposes.
LifeFlight was forced to relocate to the new hangar in order to house its new fixed-wing, twin-engine airplane, which is slated take over the bulk of LifeFlight’s long-distance transfers, freeing up the helicopters for more in-state missions.
According to Judge, the fixed-wing aircraft can fly about 115 mph faster than existing helicopters and operate in more severe weather conditions, making long-distance transfers more efficient.
Judge said Wednesday he expected to take possession of the new aircraft on Thursday or Friday. The public is invited to view the new fixed-wing aircraft during an open house from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 24 at LifeFlight’s new facility at 189 Odlin Road.
Expansions in other parts of the state include additional staff and a third helicopter to be stationed in southern Maine. Judge said he expects that addition is still about six months away though.
The expansion comes as LifeFlight works to meet increased demand. Judge said they transport about 1,650 patients annually, and he expects that number to climb to 2,500 or 2,600 with the addition of the new helicopter.
He said LifeFlight has transported patients hailing from 441 of the state’s 456 different communities.
Follow Evan Belanger on Twitter at @evanbelanger.