HASTINGS — Each year, Mary Lanning Healthcare brings several hundred children to the hospital so they will know that the hospital is a safe, caring place. Now, MLH has added something to take the tours to new heights.
During the week of March 13-17, fifth-grade students in the region will have the opportunity to learn about Emergency Services and the LifeTeam helicopter and ambulance transport service.
Lisa Brandt, Director of PR & Marketing Services, said the new tours highlight just one of the interesting additions to MLH in recent years — the LifeTeam crew. LifeTeam pilots and ambulance personnel are on the job 24 hours a day to serve MLH patients, with the helicopter kept mostly on the MLH campus.
“Many students have never seen a helicopter close up,” Brandt said. “This gives them the opportunity to learn not only about services MLH provides but also some careers in healthcare they otherwise may not have thought about.”
The entire MLH tour series began in when several hundred preschoolers and first-graders visited to learn about the Pediatric Unit and hear tips on safety, including seat belts, helmets and keeping foreign objects out of children’s mouths. In February, third-graders learned about the MLH Surgery Center, and heard from surgical professionals about what to expect if they, or a loved one, need an operation.
Each student attending the tours receive a drawstring backpack as a useful gift and a way to remember their tour at MLH.