SANFORD, Maine — LifeFlight of Maine is calling attention to the dangers of laser strikes targeting aircraft after a recent incident endangered one of its crews.
Henry Frank, director of communications for LifeFlight wrote in a news release that at approximately 7:45 p.m., while flying at 2,000 feet near Scarborough and en route to their Sanford base, a laser beam struck a LifeFlight helicopter. The crew immediately alerted Air Traffic Control and followed safety protocols, enabling the pilot to complete the mission without injuries. However, the incident underscores the growing threat of laser strikes nationwide.
According to Frank, laser strikes can have catastrophic consequences for air ambulances that transport a skilled team of pilots, flight nurses, and flight paramedics, all trained extensively in safety measures, including responding to laser incidents.
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"Crew members can become temporarily or permanently blinded by the light, depending on how powerful the laser is. Sometimes, it can burn your retina," Michael Bonenfant, a helicopter pilot and aviation safety coordinator for LifeFlight of Maine explained.
He said that all of the crew wear night vision goggles which attract any ambient light and amplify it.
The Federal Aviation Administration reports that 8,863 laser hazards have been reported across the U.S. this year. This includes 24 incidents in Maine alone Frank revealed.
To report a laser strike, email your information to LaserReports@faa.gov.
Under the law, a person who knowingly aims the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft or at the flight path of an aircraft could be fined, sentenced to up to five years in prison, or both.
LifeFlight of Maine is a nonprofit and Maine's only air ambulance service. According to the service, LifeFlight has transported more nearly 40,000 patients. They list an airplane and five helicopters as being based in Bangor, Lewiston, and Sanford. They cover the entire state and its islands.