In 2013, the Local HERO (Helicopter Emergency Response Organization) Foundation was established with the goal of providing 24/7 dedicated medevac helicopter coverage for the Wood Buffalo region.

Enbridge is committed to keeping our employees and the public safe, and improving the quality of life in the areas where we operate. Our recent $10,000 contribution will assist the Local HERO Foundation in covering equipment and maintenance costs.

Local HERO has performed 35 medical evacuations to date in 2019, and about 425 in total since the program began.

Local HERO was one of the first privately-owned companies to acquire night vision goggles in Canada, following certification in December 2013. While the goggles have high costs associated with them, they’re critical to providing 24-hour service—particularly during short winter days.

During the Local HERO Foundation's Mardi Gras in May celebration in May 2019, over $245,000 was raised for ongoing operations.

Using the best aircraft, technologies and aviation practices, the Local HERO Foundation enables emergency personnel to respond quickly for medical emergencies, search and rescue, law enforcement and environmental damage.

“A patient that would only take six or seven minutes to reach by helicopter may have to wait hours for a ground crew to arrive,” says Paul Spring, who formed Local HERO. “We’re helping people not only survive, but by getting to them sooner, we also help them have a quicker and more successful recovery.”

A team of two pilots and two paramedics are standing by all times, ready to provide care to individuals in situations such as motor vehicle collisions, workplace incidents, recreational vehicle crashes and medical emergencies.

“We feel really lucky to be able to do this,” says Andrea Montgomery Spring, Local HERO’s director of stakeholder and community relations. “Not everybody gets to do work that saves lives. It's very rewarding.”