Ål Heliport, Medical Center

Historie

Ål Heliport, Medical Center is a heliport situated in Ål, Norway. Used exclusively for air ambulance missions, it serves as a base for a Eurocopter EC-135P2+ operated by Norsk Luftambulanse on contract with the National Air Ambulance Service of Norway. The facility is owned by Vestre Viken Hospital Trust and is situated next to Hallingdal Medical Center.HistoryDuring the 1980s NLA set up an annual Easter base in a winter resort in the mountains of Southern Norway. The first was in Beitostølen in 1982. The following years this base was situated at Rjukan; Dombås; Fagernes Airport, Leirin; and Geilo Airport, Dagali, respectively. This proved popular with decision-makes, and a 1986 government commission recommended that a permanent base be established at Dombås. It opened along with five other bases in 1988, establishing the state-funded helicopter ambulance service.The Easter bases spurred interest amongst locals in the interior valleys of Buskerud, Oppdal and Telemark to receive a permanent helicopter ambulance service. Locals in Hallingdal were not content with being left without a helicopter ambulance. They argued that as it was, only during the week city-dwellers spent in town did the area have the same coverage as other parts of the country. Gradually two more bases were opened, in Arendal and Førde. Locally there was political support from three county councils and local activism.